The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-01
DOG LAW
AS AMENDED.
\ A Complete Draft Of the
Mathews Bill
S OF MUCH INTEREST
S OF MUCH INTEREST
Patron is Called Upon Daily for Copies
Duties Of. the County Officer
on the Subject are
33u Defined.

f owing to the widespread interest In the
Mathews dog law, as it has been recently
amended by the Legislature, the bill, as
Il amended, is printed In full below, and Is
as follows:
An Act--To amend and re-enact chapter
+ 400 of the Acts of Assembly, session 1901 --01
entitled an act to protect sheep and other
3 stock In the counties OF this, State, ap-
proved March 20, 1902, and to amend the
title thereof 50 as to provide for impos-
& Ing licencs tax on dogs.
1. Be 1t enacted by the General AS
sembly OF Virginia, That the act of the
+ General Assembly of Virginia entitled an
act to protect sheep and other stock in
the counties of this State, approved
March 20, 1902, and the title Of said act
SO as to provide for imposing q license
& tax on dogs, be amended and re-enactcd
so as to read as follows:
Chapter 400. An act o impose license
4 tax on dogs for the protection of sheep
and other stock in this State.
/. BE It enacted BY the General Assem-
bly, of Virginia, That it shall be the duty
of the Commissioners of the Revenue In
tho counties of this State to tako annual
~. al the time of listing the taxable prop
cry therein, list Of all dogs over three
months old, showing whether male or fe-
male, with the name OF the owner or per-
Il son In whose possession the same Is found,
upon The oath or affirmation Of the own
sr or housekeeper or head of the family
with whom or on lot or premises occupied
VI ~ him any dog or dogs may be found.
us to the number of dogs such person
& nay own or have, or as may be on the
OF or premises occupied by him, whether
i pwned By him Cor herr or not; and should
The commissioners fail Or omit to list q
log, 1t shall be his duty TO make a note
If 1t on his books for the next fiscal year,
md the owner Of said dog shall be
thargeable with said tax in addition TO
my tax he shall then owe; and shall
return such lists of dogs to the clerks
office OF tlnir' respective counties ut the
4 lime wheu' they. return their lists Of tax
IDLE property III addition to the fines
Incurred by them for neglect OF similar
Ind penalties and forfeitures as are now
1uties under existing law, the commits
sioners shall be liable TO a fine or for
leiture of fifty cents for every wilfu or
negligent failure to list any dos. Tho
ices for the commissioner Of the revenue
yhall be five cents for each dog listed by
him, to be paid out OF the funds derived
from the license tax on dogs. upon the
srder OF the Board of Supervisors.
CONSTAl3LE'S DUTY.
2. That in every case where the owner
Of the dog fails to pay. by the first day
pr July next succeeding the return of said
n psts, tho license tax provided for In the
X lhlrd section OF this act, it shall be tho
luty of the constable In the district In
which said delinquent resides. or. ii there
a pc no constable serving In said district,
lhe1 it shall be the duty Of the sheriff, or
deputy sheriff Of the county In which
The delinquent resides, to kill said dog,
Tor which he shall receive a fee of hrty
X cents out OF the funds hereinafter pro-
vded and TO that end the said constable
Sheriff or deputy sheriff shall obtain an
nually during the month of July from
the county treasurer a list Of all dclin-
quents under this act in his district,
and shall. within thirty days after re-
ceivng such list. kill said dogs unless
the tax on them, together with a fec Of
twenty-five cents. to said constable,
sheriff, or deputy sheriff. Is forthwith
paid; and on his wIlful or negligent fail
ure to do so. when practicable. he shall
pay a fine of five dollars for each dog he
SO falls 10 xiii, The constable, sheriff
or deputy sheriff shall, at the expiration
OF the thirty days, account TO the treas
urer of his county for all taxes collected
by him under this section.
g. That when said commissions OF
the revenue shall have ascertained the
number Of dogs, they shall assess a license
tax of Nifty cents Per head on all male
dogs and on al spaged female dogs, and
one dollar per head on all unspayed fe-
,nale DOGS, and The said sums so assessed
shall be collected and accounted for bs
the county treasurer as county lcyios
are by law directed 10 be collected and
accounted for. and tho treasurer shall
keep a separate account of the fund
. arising from said tax The said fund
shall be- and the same is hereby appro-
priated for remunerating the inhabitants
of said counties for any loss thes' may
sustain from dogs killing or Grippllna
\ their sheep. lambs, or any other stock
and for paying for the expenses neces-
Bary To carry this act into effect and any
balance remaining on hand for any year
shall be appropriated 10 the county school
fund of public schools, or to tho public
voad fund, as the Board of Supervisors
s may determine, TO be used In .teGordanc,
with the laws governing the disposition
Of such funds
4 Ifit be found thai 'he fund arising
from this act for any lr shall be In
sufficient La ,ay expense. Incident to tn,
execution d ais law. and shen 10 pay Ia,
whole arnou1i OF damages inflicted by dog
on the 0tllers of sheep. lambs. orr othe
stock p7sperty In any Of said counties
z ss65 sufferer shall ke paid out OF saIt