Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1917-04-25
NO. 237.
AN ACT TO PREVENT CRUELTY
TO ANIMALS.

| 1t is hereby enacted by the General
Assembly of the State of Vermont:
| Section / Any officer, agent or mem
Der of the Vermont Humane Society. or
of any incorporated humane society or
society for the prevention of cruelty to
animals, may lawfully interfere to pre-
vent the preparation of any act of
cruelty upon any animal IN his presence.
Any person who shall interfere with or
obstruct any such officer, agent or mem
Der of any such society IN the discharge
of his duty shall be guilty of a misde-
meanor.
Sec. p Whenever an animal shall
be found abandoned or otherwise not
properly cared for, any officer or agent
| of any such society may call two reput-
| able citizens to examine it in his pres
ence, and if in their judgment such ami
NAL is glandered or otherwise afflicted
with an infectious or incurable disease
and is a menace to the public health or
lis permanently unfit for work or injured
or starved past recovery, such officer
or agent may notify the owner or person
in charge of such animal, if known, and
demand that it be at once killed; and If
such animal is not killed by its owner or
person having it in charge within six
hours after such notice, or If no person
adjudged suitable by said officer, or
agent, and said citizens, appears within
six hours to take charge of such animal,
such officer or agent may, IN the pres
ence of a witness, thereupon kill such
animal and bury its body.
Sec g. An officer or agent of the
Vermont Humane Society, or Of any in
Icorporated humane society or society for
/ the prevention of cruelty to animals
may lawfully take charge of any animal
/ found abandoned, neglected, lame, sick,
unfit for the labor If is performing or
I otherwise cruelty treated, and shall there
upon give notice thereof to the owner, if
known, or his agent; and may provide
suitable care for such animal until the
owner or agent shall take charge of the
same, or until such animal is deemed by
such officer or agent to be IN suitable
condition to be delivered to such owner
or agent; and the expense of such care
and provision shall be a charge against
the owner of such animal, collectable by
suit from such owner by any such So
| ciety, and such society shall have a lien
| on such animal for all expenses so in
Cured.
Sec 4. Any officer or agent of the
| Vermont Humane Society, or of any
incorporated humane society or society
| for the prevention of cruelty to animals.
and such special agents as may be ap-
pointed by any such society shall have
the same power and authority to arrest
as any officer authorized to serve Grim
inal process for the purpose of enforcing
any of the laws of this state In relation
to cruelty to animals, such power and
authority to extend throughout the state
/ A person who shall interfere with or
obstruct any of such agents IN the dis
charge of their duty shall be guilty of
impeding an officer and punished as pro-
vided IN section $500 Of the Public
Statutes, (Sec- 6882 O. ID provided,
that all such officers and agents shall,
when making such arrests, declare his
authority and exhibit and expose a suit
able badge which has been adopted by
such society.
Approved March 8, 1917.