R.I. Gen. Laws § 4-15-3: Impoundment of animals at large on highways.

If any horse, neat-beast, sheep, or hog is going at large in any highway or common, or on any land thrown open as a way for public travel and used by the public for travel, any freeholder or qualified elector or field driver may, and every surveyor of highways of the town within which that animal is at large shall, take up the animal and impound it in one of the public pounds of that city or town, and every surveyor of highways of the city or town may appoint in writing a deputy or deputies for that purpose, filing in the office of the city or town clerk a copy of that appointment.