R.I. Gen. Laws
Rhode Island General Laws

R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-18 (2026)

Destruction of dogs in defense of person or livestock

✓ text as last checked Sept. 2026 (this copy records no edition or section history)
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Any person may kill any dog that suddenly assaults him or her or any person of his or her family or in his or her company, while the person assaulted is out of the enclosure of the owner or keeper of that dog and any person may kill any dog found out of the enclosure of its owner or keeper, assaulting, wounding, or killing any cattle, sheep, lamb, horse, hog, or fowl, not the property of its owner.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 1978–2011 · leading case: State v. Goulet, 21 A.3d 302 (R.I. 2011).
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State v. Goulet, 21 A.3d 302 (R.I. 2011). · cites it 9× “5 First, defendant filed a motion to *306 dismiss count 1 on the theory that G.L. 1956 § 4-13-18 controlled, and that, as such, dismissal was proper as a matter of law.”
Bernhart v. Nine, 391 A.2d 75 (R.I. 1978). “” Later, in I860, 3 the Legislature enacted a provision which now can be found in §4-13-18. It reads: “Any person may kill any dog that may suddenly assault him or any person of his family or in his company, while the person so assaulted is out of the enclosure of the owner or…”
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