R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-13-21

Each town or city council in the county of Newport, except in the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth, shall annually in the month of April appoint one or more suitable persons appraisers, who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of their duties, to appraise the damage that may be done to any owner of any sheep or lambs, cattle, horses, hogs, goats, or fowls, suffering loss by reason of the biting, maiming, or killing by any dog, and to give a statement in writing to the owner suffering loss; and the owner, suffering loss shall within two (2) days after the loss comes to his or her knowledge, notify the appraiser, appointed and sworn, living nearest to him or her in the city or town where the owner resides, of the loss; and the appraiser shall, on receipt of twenty cents (20¢) for each mile€™s travel and the sum of one dollar ($1.00) from the owner, appraise the damage and give a statement in writing, with his or her lawful fees taxed thereon, to the owner; and the owner shall, within sixty (60) days, present to the town or city council of the town or city where the damage is done the appraisal, and the town or city council of the town or city shall draw an order on the town or city treasurer for the amount of the appraisal and fees, or for any other amount as the council, in the council€™s discretion, after careful examination, shall deem just. The town or city treasurer shall annually, on the last Monday in March, pay all those orders in full, if the gross amount received by the town or city under the provisions of this chapter, after deducting all sums previously laid out under those provisions, is sufficient; otherwise the town or city treasurer shall divide the amount, after deducting the sums, pro rata among the orders, and the payment shall be in full discharge of the orders.