Colorado § 35-82-102 - Health-related research - dogs and cats - adoption - reporting - conflict with federal requirements.

§ 35-82-102. Health-related research - dogs and cats - adoption - reporting - conflict with federal requirements.

(1) (a) Before euthanizing a dog or cat, a health-related research facility shall offer the dog or cat to an animal shelter or a pet animal rescue for the purpose of adoption. If the health-related research facility has an internal adoption program, the facility may first offer the dog or cat for adoption through the internal adoption program before offering the dog or cat to an animal shelter or a pet animal rescue.

(b) Subsection (1)(a) of this section does not apply if a health-related research facility euthanizes a dog or cat for research, health, or safety reasons.

(2) A health-related research facility may enter into a collaborative agreement with an animal shelter or a pet animal rescue to satisfy the requirements of this section.

(3) A health-related research facility that acts in good faith to transfer or adopt out through an internal adoption program a dog or cat to an animal shelter or a pet animal rescue pursuant to subsection (1) of this section is immune from civil liability for acts or circumstances related to or resulting from the transfer or internal adoption of the dog or cat.

(4) (a) By January 31, 2026, and by January 31 each year thereafter, a health-related research facility shall submit to the department, on a form approved by the department, a report that includes the following information for the previous calendar year:

(I) The total number of dogs and cats that the health-related research facility:

(A) Transferred to an animal shelter or a pet animal rescue for the purpose of adoption; and

(B) Adopted out through an internal adoption program; and

(II) The name and address of each animal shelter or pet animal rescue to which the health-related research facility transferred a dog or cat for the purpose of adoption.

(b) A health-related research facility with an internal adoption program shall not report any personal identifying information about an individual internal adopter.

(5) If any provision of this article 82 is found to be in conflict with the federal "Animal Welfare Act", 7 U.S.C. sec. 2131 et seq., the conflicting part of this article 82 is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict, and the finding or determination shall not affect the operation of the remainder of this article 82.

Source: L. 2025: Entire article added, (SB 25-085), ch. 95, p. 434, § 1, effective August 6.