Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-03-04
The Dog Law.

Below we give the full text ol
the law passed by the recent Leg
islature, in relation to the taxing
of dogs It would be well for all
parties interested to take due no
tice of it's provisions and govern
themselves accordingly. The bill
reads as follows
BE 1t enacted by the Legislature O
Vest Virginia: 1t shall be the duty
of the Assessor of every county
within this State, as soon as pos
sible of----day of--oi
each year to ascertain and list ell
dogs within their respective coun-
ties above the age of four months,
except lap dogs and rat terriers,
and the names of the owner there
of,and to make proper entry there
of on his personal property book.
To ascertain the same, he shall
call upon every person in his dis
trict who is required by law 20
list any personal property or be the
owner OF dog, and shall require
every such lerson to answer under
oath such questions as he may ask
him, TO enable the assessor to
make out such list That the owner
of dog liable to taxation who
fails 10 give true list of his dogs
when called upon by the assessor
for that purpose. shall be fined $50
for the benefit of the school fund,
to be recovered by indictment or
presentment. It shall be the duty
of the court of the county at the
time Of laying the county levy, to
fixlthe tax on each dog, within the
county, not less than so cts where
there is one dog, and one dollar
on each dog over one in possession
OF same owner, and WheH 30 hSed
it shall be the duty of the assessor
to extend the same on the person.
al property hnoks, for which SER
vice he shall be allowed two cents
per dog,tc be paid out of the coun-
ty treasury. Such tax shall,i the
county court so order, be paid, in
whole or in part, to owners of
sheep that have been killed or in
jured by dogs within the county
during the preceding year to the
parties entitled thereto, in such
manner as the court may provide.
All or part of said tax not so di-
rected to be paid to the owners of
such sheep shall constitute part
of the distributable school fund of
the State as appropriated, and
shall be collected by the sheriff of
the county, and paid to the order
of the school boards. If the sher-
if shall be unable to collect the
tax assessed against the owner of
a dor, and the same shall be re-
turned as delinquent the said dog
may1 shall be killed by the con-
stable of the district by order OF
the justice of the peace, upon rea-
sonable notice to owner. If proved
to the satisfaction of justice
that dog has killed or worried
sheep he may in like manner be
killed by order of the justice,
whether such dog shall have been
taxed or not. But this act shall
have no force and effect in any
county or within the State until
thirty DAYS after the county court
OF the county shall, by its order,
declare that it shall have force and
effect in any county, ior in any
district or districts thereof. Such
order, however, shall not be made
by the court unless a petition
signed by at least one hundred vo-
ters of the county asking that such
order be made, shall be presented
to a previous term of the court
and notice of such petition shall
for thirty days prior to the max
ing of the order be posted at the
front door of the court house, and
| inserted in at least one newspaper
if one be published in the county,
and if no such newspaper be pub
lished, posted at three other public
| DlacpS therein