An Act To Authorize the Employment of Animal Control Officers by Animal Shelters
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0517
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: CLEARY, JACKSON, BERRY, EATON, MCCABE, SCHATZ, SMITH, WILLETTE
Amends: 7 MRSA §3907, 7 MRSA §3947-A

MAINE STATE LEGISLATURE 
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124tb MAINE LEGISLATURE 
Legislative Document 
No. 517 
H.P.362 
House of Representatives, February 12, 2009 
An Act To Authorize the Employment of Animal Control Officers 
by Animal Shelters 
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered plinted. 
Presented by Representative CLEARY of Houlton. 
Cosponsored by Senator JACKSON of Aroostook and 
'!7/df~ 1?1.11ltl£~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, EATON of Sullivan, MCCABE of Skowhegan, 
SCHATZ of Blue Hill, SMITH of Momnouth, SOCTOMAH ofthe Passamaquoddy Tribe, 
WILLETTE of Presque Isle. 
PrinlcJ on recycled poper 
Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3907, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1995, c. 490, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
4. Animal control officer. "Animal control officer" means the person appointed 
periodically by a municipality pursuant to chapter 725 section 3947 or a person employed 
by an animal shelter pursuant to section 3947-A. 
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §3947-A is enacted to read: 
§3947-A. Animal control officers employed by animal shelter 
An animal shelter licensed under section 3932-A may employ an animal control 
officer in accordance with this section. In addition to appointing an animal control 
officer as required under section 3947, a municipality may contract for the services of an 
animal control officer employed by the animal shelter that the municipality has 
designated under section 3949. 
1. Duties. The duties of an animal control officer employed by an animal shelter 
under this section are enforcement of sections 3911,3912,3916,3921, 3924, 3943, 3948, 
3950, 3952 and 4041 and Title 17, section 1023, responding to reports of animals 
suspected of having rabies in accordance with Title 22, sections 1313 and 1313-A and 
any other duties to control animals as the animal shelter or contracting municipality may 
require. 
2. Restrictions on employment. An animal shelter may not employ a person as an 
animal control officer who has been convicted of murder, a Class A or Class B offense, a 
violation of Title 17-A, chapter 9, 11, 12 or 13 or a criminal violation under Title 17, 
chapter 42, adjudicated of a civil violation for cruelty to animals under chapter 739 or 
convicted or adjudicated in any other state, provincial or federal court of a violation 
similar to one specified in this subsection. 
3. Certification and training. A person employed by an animal shelter must be 
certified in accordance with section 3906-B, subsection 4 prior to assuming the duties of 
an animal control officer under subsection 1 and must attend advanced training programs 
as described under section 3906-B, subsection 4 to maintain certification. An animal 
control officer must have a minimum of 8 hours of training each year. 
4. Municipality not liable. A municipality is not liable for the conduct of an animal 
control officer employed by an animal shelter and providing services under a contract 
between the shelter and the municipality. A municipality contracting with an animal 
shelter for the services of an animal control officer is not responsible for fees, wages or 
expenses of that animal control officer. 
SUMMARY 
This bill authorizes an animal shelter to employ an animal control officer with duties 
and certification requirements identical to those of an animal control officer designated 
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by a municipality. It authorizes a municipality to contract with a shelter for an animal 
control officer's services.