Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-01-20
Eli 20 Protect sheep and oaller stock


and other stock in the counties OF
Accomac and Northampton, intro
duced in the Senate by DR.. Geo. w.
LeCato, has passed that body:
1. Be it enacted by the General
Assembly of Virginia, that it shall
be the duty of the assessors for the
counties of Accomac and Northamp-
ton to take annually, at the time OF
listing the taxable property therein,
a list of all dogs over three months
old, showing whether male or female,
with the name of the owner or per-
son in whose possession the same is
found, upon the oath or affirmation
of the owner or housekeeper or head
of the family with whom or on whose
lot or plantation any dog or
dogs may be found, as to the num-
Der of dogs such person may own or
have or as may be on his lot, planta-
ton or premises, whether owned by
him Tor herr or not, and shall return
such list of dogs to the clerks office
of their respective counties at the
time when he returns his list of taxa
BILE property, under the like fines,
penalties and forfeitures as are now
incurred by him for neglect of any
similar duties under existing laws as
to his duties in listing and returning
taxable property
2. That every case where the own
er of dog fails to pay the license
tax provided for in the third section
of this act. it shall be the duty OF
the constable of the district in which
said delinquent resides, to kill said
dog, for which he shall receive a fee
of fifty cents out of the fund herein
after provided, and to that end the
said constable shall obtain from the
county treasurer list of all d>lin
ouents under this act in his district,
and he shall, within thirty days af-
ter receiving such list, discharge his
duty in this behalf, and on his fail
ure so to do, when practicable he
shall pay fine of fifty cents for each
dog he so fails to kill.
) That when said assessors shall
have ascertained the number OF dogs
they shall assess license tax of fifty
centsper head on all male dogs and
all spayed female dogs, and on ev-
cry slut or female dog one dollar
shall be assessed, and the said sums
shall be collected and accounted for
by the county treasurer as county
levies are by law directed to be col
lected and accounted for; and the
treasurer shall keep n separate ac'
count of the fund arising from said
tax. The said fund shall be, and
the same is hereby appropriated for
remunerating the inhabitants of said
counties for any loss they may
sustain from dogs killing or Grip
ping their sheep or any other
stock, and for paying any expense
necessary to carry this act into eff.
feet, and any balance remaining on
hand for any year shall be appro.
priated to the county school fund OF
public schools, to be used in accor.
dance with the laws governing the
disposition of such fund.
4. If it be found that the fund arts
ing under this act for any year shall
be insufficient to pay the whole
amount of damages inflicted by dogs
on the owners of sheep or other stock
property. in either of said counties
each sufferer shall be paid out Of
said fund in proportion to the los;
sustained.
5. That it shall be the duty of any
Justice of the peace in said counties
on an application of the owner Of
sheep or other stock, or his agent
which have been killed or wounded
by dogs mot his OWN since the pas
sage of this act, to issue a summons
to three discreet persons who are
qualified voters in either of said
counties 1.-TWO of whom may act), who
being legally sworn, shall go forth
with on the premises where such
sheep or other stock may be, ant
examine into the facts and justice
of the claim and appraise the amount
of damages sustained by the owner
such damages not to exceed the as
sessed value of said sheep or other
stock; and when said sheep or othea
stock were not in possession of sale
owner at the time of assessment, OF
if in possession, not assessed, the
damages shall be the assessed value
of sheep of like grade and quality il
the community where such sheep OF
stock are killed or crippled, and sale
appraisers shall return an accurate
statement under their hands to s
Justice, who, if it appears that such
sheep or other stock we're killed OF
crippled by dogs not belonging tc
the owner of said sheep or other
stock, shall approve the said return
by endorsing the same and shall
forward all the papers to the clerk
of his respective county who shall
receive the same and present then
to the board OF supervisors at theil
next meeting.
6. All the payments made by the
treasurer out of funds created by
this act shall be on the order of the
board of supervisors, certified by the
clerk of said board.