Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-07-30
STATE HOUSE

improve the dog law or fix penalty
for letting them run at large in the
woods and forest lands of the State
without a keeper"
In response to further inquiries as
to what other commissioners are
doing along this line, the Depart
ment gives the following extracts
from the laws of other States upon
this subject:
VIRGINIA
The Virginia law provides that 'it
shall be lawful for a hunter to use
a dog or dogs when hunting game
birds and game animals during the
open season." but there are pro-
visions in the law of that State
which control dogs running at large
to quite an extent. After providing
for the annual licensing of dogs, the
Statute makes the following addi-
tional provisions:
IF any such person or persons be
convicted of having failed to pay the
license tax on dogs owned by them,
in their custody, or on their prem
Uses, on or before the first day of
May of such year, he or they shall
| pay such fine as is imposed in &C
| cordance with the provisions of this
| act, together with all costs incident
| to such prosecution, and unless such
| fine and costs, as we'll as such lie
| ense tax or taxes, be forthwith paid,
| such dog or dogs shall be killed by
| the game warden, or by some other
officer who may be designated by the
q magistrate to act, but the killing of
| such dogs or dog shall not operate
| as q release of the fine and costs,
| and OF the license tax or taxes, al
| ready due.
It shall be unlawful for any per-
son to permit any dog to run at
| large at any time, without a license
| tag as hereinabove provided.
It shall be the duty of any game
| warden, regular, special or eX-of-
| ficio, or the privilege of any person,
who may find or know of a dog
| roaming at large at any time of the
year, without license tag as herein
provided, to Immediately notify the
| owner thereof, If known to him, and
| II such dog be again found roaming
at large contrary to the provisions
| of this act, or If upon the first oc-
casion OF finding such dog SO at
large, the owner be not known to the
warden, or X any dog, whether
wearing a tag or not, be found kill
ing, injuring or chasing sheep, or
killing or injuring any domestic ami
NAL, 1t shall be the duty of the war;
den to kill such dog forthwith in
any manner he may see fit, and any
person finding dog worrying or
killing sheep, or committing any of
the depredations mentioned in this
section. shall have the right to kill
such dog on sight. If any warden
or other person shall not find a dog
killing sheep. or committing any of
the depredations mentioned in the
section, but have reason to believe
that such dog is worrying or killing
sheep, or committing any Of the de-
predations mentioned in this section,
he shall apply to a magistrate of the
county. city or county wherein such
dog may be. who shall issue a war
rant requiring the owner, or other
person having such dog in his
charge, IL known, to appear before
such magistrate at q time and place
named therein, at which time EVIL
dence shall be heard, and IL It shall
appear that such dog is a sheep kill.
er. or has committed any Of the de.
predations mentioned in this sec
ton. the dog shall Immediately be
ordered to be killed, which the war
den or other officer designated by
the magistrate, shall do. If any dog
be running at large on which license
has not been paid, and has no