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SB 201UTAHSession 2026State BillSigned into law

Enacted

Utah restricts animal shelter euthanasia and sets new notification rules

Original title: Shelter Animal Euthanasia Amendments

Last action · March 25, 2026: Governor SignedSponsors: Keith Grover and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Does

Utah enacts a new law prohibiting s from euthanizing unadopted or unclaimed animals unless no reasonable alternatives exist and specific notification and holding period requirements are met. The measure takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Why it matters

Shelters must notify interested rescue groups and wait two business days before proceeding with euthanasia on otherwise healthy or unclaimed animals, while gaining explicit legal immunity when acting in good faith based on available information.

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

animal shelters

Animal shelters must follow mandatory notification procedures and waiting periods before performing euthanasia and receive legal immunity for good-faith actions.

Directly affected

animal rescue groups

Animal rescue groups receive notification rights and a two-day window to request and collect animals at risk of euthanasia.

Key Facts

An animal shelter may euthanize an unadopted, untransferred, or unclaimed animal only if no reasonable alternatives to euthanasia are available.
Shelters must notify interested animal organizations and wait two business days for transfer requests or collection before proceeding with euthanasia after the holding period expires.
Shelters are exempt from notifying or releasing animals to rescue groups if staff members have animal cruelty convictions or pending charges, or if restricted by court order.
Shelters are not liable for acts or omissions under this section when acting in good faith based on available information.

Show all 5 facts

The statute takes effect on May 6, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can an animal shelter euthanize an animal under this law?

A shelter may euthanize an animal if the required holding period has expired, notice has been given to interested rescue groups with a two-day waiting window, no reasonable alternatives exist, to prevent unnecessary suffering from serious injury or disease, or if the animal is a dangerous or vicious dog.

Are animal shelters required to investigate the criminal history of rescue group employees before transferring animals?

No, the statute explicitly states it imposes no obligation on a shelter to investigate, verify, or monitor the criminal history of rescue group personnel.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

59 actions

Mar 25, 2026Lieutenant Governor's office for filingEnrolled
Governor Signed
Mar 13, 2026Senate
Senate/ to Governor
Mar 13, 2026Senate
Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Mar 12, 2026Senate
Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
Mar 12, 2026Senate Secretary
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Draft of Enrolled Bill Prepared

Show 53 earlier actions

Mar 10, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel / Enrolling
Bill Received from Senate for Enrolling
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ signed by President/ sent for enrolling
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ received from House
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ to Senate
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ signed by Speaker/ returned to Senate
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ received from Senate
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ to House
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ concurs with House amendment
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ placed on Concurrence Calendar
Mar 6, 2026Senate
Senate/ received from House
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ to Senate
Mar 6, 2026HouseFloor
House/ passed 3rd reading
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ floor amendment failed
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ floor amendment failed
Mar 6, 2026House
House/ 3rd reading
Mar 5, 2026House
House/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
Mar 3, 2026House
House/ 3rd Reading Calendar to Rules
Mar 3, 2026House
House/ 2nd reading
Mar 3, 2026House
House/ Rules to 3rd Reading Calendar
Mar 3, 2026House
House/ return to Rules due to fiscal impact
Mar 3, 2026House
House/ comm rpt/ substituted
Mar 2, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0201S02
Mar 2, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0201S02
Mar 2, 2026House
House Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Mar 2, 2026House
House Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Mar 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0201S02
Mar 2, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0201S02
Feb 25, 2026House
House Comm - Held
Feb 24, 2026HouseCommittee
House/ to standing committee
Feb 24, 2026HouseIntroduced
House/ 1st reading (Introduced)
Feb 23, 2026House
House/ received from Senate
Feb 23, 2026Senate
Senate/ to House
Feb 23, 2026SenateFloor
Senate/ passed 3rd reading
Feb 23, 2026Senate
Senate/ 3rd reading
Feb 20, 2026SenateFloor
Senate/ passed 2nd reading
Feb 20, 2026Senate
Senate/ 2nd reading
Feb 3, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0201S01
Feb 3, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0201S01
Feb 2, 2026Senate
Senate/ placed on 2nd Reading Calendar
Feb 2, 2026Senate
Senate/ comm rpt/ substituted
Jan 30, 2026Senate
Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation
Jan 30, 2026Released
LFA/ fiscal note publicly available for SB0201
Jan 30, 2026Senate
Senate Comm - Substitute Recommendation
Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0201S01
Jan 30, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0201S01
Jan 29, 2026Version Sponsor
LFA/ fiscal note sent to sponsor for SB0201
Jan 28, 2026SenateCommittee
Senate/ to standing committee
Jan 27, 2026SenateIntroduced
Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)
Jan 27, 2026Senate
Senate/ received bill from Legislative Research
Jan 26, 2026Legislative Fiscal Agency
LFA/ bill sent to agencies for fiscal input for SB0201
Jan 26, 2026Legislative Fiscal Analyst
LFA/ bill assigned to staff for fiscal analysis for SB0201
Jan 26, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
Numbered Bill Publicly Distributed
Jan 26, 2026Legislative Research and General Counsel
Bill Numbered but not Distributed

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Connected Entities

Utah

locationUtah“state where the legislation was enacted”Map →

Sources

Open source document

le.utah.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy15
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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