A. The legislature finds that the establishment and maintenance of a voluntary animal shelter registry will enable the Louisiana Animal Control Advisory Task Force to carry out its duties.
B. As used in this Section, the term "public animal shelter" means an animal shelter owned, operated, or designated for the purpose of impoundment of animals by any parish, municipality, or other subdivision of the state.
C. The state veterinarian shall establish and maintain a registry for animal shelters called the Louisiana Animal Shelter Registry.
D. On or before the first day of February of each calendar year, each parish governing authority may submit to the state veterinarian a list of all public animal shelters located within the parish's jurisdiction. The list shall include:
(1) The name, physical address, mailing address, contact number, and email address of the public animal shelter.
(2) The name, physical address, mailing address, contact number, and email address of the operator of the public animal shelter.
(3) The name and contact information for the parish or municipal animal control officer.
(4) The hours of operation.
E. On or before the first day of February of each calendar year, each public animal shelter may submit the following to the state veterinarian:
(1) The Basic Animal Data Matrix, submitted as "transparent" data, to the Shelter Animals Count database found at http://www.shelteranimalscount.org. Public animal shelters may submit the matrix electronically through this website.
(2) A brief narrative description, not to exceed two pages of twelve point font, of how the animal shelter is ensuring compliance with the provisions of R.S. 3:2461 et seq. and R.S. 3:2471 et seq.