The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1881-03-23
Dogs ind sheen.

"a Dill Tor the protection OF sheep,
apd imposing a tax on dogs, and re-
pealing chapter Ga ofthe Acts of 1875:
l 4 enacted By the Legislature Of YES.
Virginia;
( u, That il shall be the duty ofevery
assessor annually TO list all dogs over
four weeks old owned or kept within
his district, particularly noting the
number owned or kept about any one
house, giving such description Of
each as he can conveniently obtain,
Distinguishing between males and
females. And for this purpose he
may examine on oath any person
found in his district. The fact that
any dog is kept or allowed to remain
about any house is sufficient evidence
to authorize the assessor to return
the person inhabiting said house as
the owner Of such dog. Two copies
of such list for each magisterial dis.
trict shall be returned by the assessor
to the clerk of the county court Of
his county on or before the time fixed
for laying the county levy in each
year.
2. The county court shall annually
levy tax on every dog SO listed Of
fifty cents on males and one dollar on
females. Any court may diScrimi-
nate as to each owner of more than
one dog by increasing the amount Of
tax on each additional dog. And the
tax SO levied shall be paid by the
persons respectively in whose name
the dogs shall be listed.
3. The clerk shall, within one
month after such assessment is com
pleted, extend on the lists mentioned
in the first section the amount of
such tax chargeable to the persons
mentioned therein, one of which
lists he shall, as soon as completed,
deliver to q constable of the magis.
terial district for which the list was
made. And it shall be the duty Of
any constable to whom such list is so
delivered or rendered to proceed to
collect the taxes mentioned in such
lists from the several persons named
therein respectively, and for this
purpose every constable shall have
the same power to distrain for such
taxes that sherifs now have in re.
spect to State taxes, and they shall
account for and pay over the taxes
mentioned in such lists in the same
manner that sheriti5' are required to
account for county levies. The con.
stable having such list shall kill, or
cause to be killed, every dogon which
the taxes assessed as aforesaid are
not paid on or before the first day Of
March Of the year next after that in
which the assessment is made, hav.
ing first demanded the amount of
such tax from the keeper of such
dog. For every dog killed he shall
receive credit for the tax charged on
the animal killed and one dollar
from the funds collected by him. He
shall have the same commissions for
collections under this act that sherifIs
are allowed for collecting county
levies.
4, The county court shall, out Of
the fund arising under this act, pay
reasonable compensation for the as
sessment provided for and to the
clerk for his services; and the residue
may be appropriated in such man.
ner as the court may deem for the
best interests Of the citizens of the
county, or it may appropriate the
same, or such part Of it as may be
necessary, to remunerate the owners
Of sheep for losses sustained by dogs.
In any county where the county
court directs that any part of the
funds raised under this act may be
appropriated to pay for sheep de.
stroycd by dogs, the fifth and sixth
sections of this act shall govern the
distribution thereof.
5. Upon complaint, before any JUS
tice, of any person that sheep owned
by him and kept within the county
have been destroyed by a dog or dogs,
the justice shall issue his warrant
appointing three district freeholders,
residing in the county, whose duty
it shall be, having first been duly
sworn for that purpose, to proceed
forthwith upon actual view, and
from such information as may be ac-
cessible to ascertain as to the truth
of the complaint, the character Of
the injury, and the amount of the
damage, if any, which has been sus-
tanned, and make report thereof in
writing TO the county court of such
county, And in discharging the
duties imposed by this sections each
of the appraisers is hereby authorized
to administer oaths.
6. At the end of every year and at
such times as the court may direct,
every constable chargeable with any
money under this act shall report to
the court the amount of money in
his hands arising from the tax on
dogs, and from fines imposed under
this act, and for which he is account.
able, and pay the same into the
county treasury; the county court
shall then, or as soon thereafter as
practicable, audit the claims report
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