An Act to Change Responsibility for Animal Control Officer Training to the Department of Public Safety
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1121
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: HARRINGTON
Amends: 7 MRSA §3906-B, 7 MRSA §3909, 7 MRSA §3947

Legislative Document
No. 1121
S.P. 455
In Senate, March 9, 2023
An Act to Change Responsibility for Animal Control Officer 
Training to the Department of Public Safety
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator HARRINGTON of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  7 MRSA §3906-B, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2007, c. 439, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 2.  7 MRSA §3909, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 343, §8, is amended to 
read:
5.  Enforcement provision; animal control officers.  The certification of an animal 
control officer under section 3906‑B 3947, subsection 1 may be suspended or revoked by 
the commissioner Commissioner of Public Safety in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375.
Sec. 3.  7 MRSA §3947, as amended by PL 2019, c. 437, §2, is further amended to 
read:
§3947.  Animal control officers
Each municipality shall appoint one or more animal control officers whose duties are 
enforcement of sections 3911, 3912, 3916, 3921, 3924, 3948, 3950, 3950‑A, 3952‑A, 4041 
and 4042 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 municipality may require.  A municipality may appoint an employee of an 
animal shelter as an animal control officer as long as the person meets the qualifications 
and training requirements of this section.
A municipality may not appoint a person to the position of animal control officer who 
has been convicted of murder, a Class A or Class B offense or a violation of Title 17‑A, 
chapter 9, 11, 12 or 13 or has been convicted of a criminal violation under Title 17, chapter 
or has been adjudicated of a civil violation for cruelty to animals under chapter 739 or 
who has been convicted or adjudicated in any other state, provincial or federal court of a 
violation similar to those specified in this section.
Animal control officers must be certified in accordance with section 3906‑B, 
subsection 4.  Upon initial appointment, an animal control officer must complete basic 
training and be certified by the commissioner within 6 months of appointment.
An animal control officer 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.
Upon appointment of an animal control officer, municipal clerks shall notify the 
commissioner Commissioner of Public Safety of the name, address and telephone number 
of the animal control officer within 10 business days.  In the event the position is vacant 
upon termination or resignation of the animal control officer, the municipal clerk shall 
notify the commissioner Commissioner of Public Safety within 10 business days of the 
vacancy.
1.  Training and certification of animal control officers.  Upon initial appointment, 
an animal control officer must complete a basic training program and be certified by the 
Commissioner of Public Safety in accordance with this subsection within 6 months of 
appointment.  An animal control officer must attend an advanced training program to 
maintain certification.  An animal control officer must have a minimum of 8 hours of 
training each year.  The Commissioner of Public Safety shall develop both a basic and an 
advanced program to train animal control officers. The basic training program must include 
training in the following:
A.  Investigation of complaints of cruelty to animals;
B.  Response to calls concerning animals suspected of having rabies; and
C.  Enforcement of dog licensing laws and rabies immunization laws.
The advanced training program must include, but is not limited to, training in animal cruelty 
with respect to hoarders of animals, animal cruelty with respect to domestic violence, new 
laws, case reviews and report writing.
The Commissioner of Public Safety shall certify all animal control officers who 
successfully complete training programs under this subsection.
Sec. 4.  Transition provision.  All existing certifications of animal control officers 
by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry that are valid on the effective 
date of this Act are transferred to the Department of Public Safety; animal control officers 
certified under the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry continue to be 
certified under the Department of Public Safety until their certifications expire.
SUMMARY
This bill provides that the Commissioner of Public Safety develop programs to train 
animal control officers rather than the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry.  The bill also requires the Commissioner of Public Safety, rather than the 
Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to certify all animal control 
officers who successfully complete the training programs.