An Act Regarding the Sale of Dogs with Health Problems
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1049
Committee Amendment CA_A_S52 (Senate)
Amends: 7 MRSA §4155, 7 MRSA §4156

FffiST REGULAR SESSION 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "(A-" to S.P. 309, L.D. 1049, Bill, "An Act 
Regarding the Sale of Dogs with Health Problems" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act Regarding the Sale of Cats and Dogs with Health Problems' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the 
following: 
'Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §4155, sub-§3, fjfff!B and C, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 589, §1, 
are amended to read: 
B. Exchange of the animal for an animal of the purchaser's choice of equivalent 
value, pro:viding if a replacement is available; eF 
C. Retainment of the animal and reimbursement for 1/2 of the reasonable veterinary 
fees not to exceed 1/2 of the original purchase price of the animal,._;_qr 
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §4155, sub-§3, ,r:o is enacted to read: 
D. For an animal with less than one year of life expectancy. as determined by a 
veterinarian pursuant to subsection 1. retainment of the animal and a full refund of 
the original purchase price of the animal. Reimbursement of veterinary fees by the 
seller is not required under this paragraph. 
' 
Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §4155, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2007, c. 702, §27, is further 
amended to read: 
5. 
Sellers not exempt. 
Sellers may not, contractually or otherwise, exempt 
themselves from the remedies provided by this section for deaths or health problems in 
animals caused by infectious, contagious, parasitic or communicable disease or for deaths 
or health problems in animals caused by hereditary or congenital defects as described in 
J 
-
subsection 1. 
Sec. 4. 7 MRSA §4156, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2007, c. 702, §29, is further 
amended to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEEAMENDMENT"fl- "toS.P.309,L.D.1049 {£-'52-) 
2. Refund. If the purchaser wishes to receive a full refund for the animal, the 
purchaser must return the animal no later than 2 business days after receipt of a written 
statement from a veterinarian indicating that the animal is unfit due to a health problem. 
With respect to a dead animal, the purchaser must provide the seller with a written 
statement from a veterinarian indicating that the animal died from a health problem that 
existed on or before the receipt of the animal by the purchaser. This subsection does not 
apply to a refund requested pursuant to section 4155, subsection 3, paragraph D.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title. The amendment allows, for a 
dog or cat with a life expectancy ofless than one year as determined by a veterinarian, the 
purchaser to choose to retain the dog or cat and receive a full refund for the original 
purchase price of the dog or cat. The amendment also provides that reimbursement of 
veterinarian fees by the seller is not required when a purchaser chooses to retain the dog 
or cat and receive a full refund for the original purchase price of the dog or cat. 
The amendment provides that sellers may not, contractually or otherwise, exempt 
themselves from the remedies provided for deaths or health problems in dogs and cats 
caused by hereditary or congenital defects. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT