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veterinarian or humane law enforcement officer shall contact the | | animal shelter or shelters used by the municipality in which the | animal was found. The humane agent or | | or the humane law enforcement officer shall provide the shelter | | with a description of the animal, the date of seizure and the | | name of a person to contact for more information. |
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| | | Within 3 working days of possession of the animal, the humane | agent or | | officer shall apply to the court for a possession order. The | | court shall set a hearing date and that hearing date must be | | within 10 days of the date the animal was seized. The humane | agent or | | officer shall arrange care for the animal, including medical | | treatment, if necessary, pending the hearing. |
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| | The humane agent or | | enforcement officer shall notify the owner, if located, of the | | time and place of the hearing. If the owner has not been | | located, the court shall order a notice to be published at | | least once in a newspaper of general circulation in the county | | where the animal was found stating the case and circumstances | | and giving 48 hours notice of the hearing. |
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| | | It is the owner's responsibility at the hearing to show cause | | why the animal should not be seized permanently or disposed of | | humanely. If it appears at the hearing that the animal has | | been cruelly abandoned or cruelly treated by its owner, the | | court shall declare the animal forfeited and order its sale, | | adoption or donation or order the animal to be disposed of | | humanely if a veterinarian determines that the animal is | | diseased or disabled beyond recovery. |
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| | | A humane agent, humane law enforcement officer, state law | | enforcement officer or state veterinarian is not civilly | | liable to any party for authorization made in accordance with | | this subsection. |
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| | | Sec. 10. 25 MRSA §2804-I, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 682, §5, is | | amended to read: |
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| | | §2804-I. Law enforcement training for harbor masters, | | municipal |
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| | | shellfish conservation wardens and humane law |
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| | | Harbor masters and | | and humane law enforcement officers must successfully complete | | the preservice law enforcement training requirements in | | section 2804-B and the in-service law enforcement training | | requirements in section 2804-E in order to have the power to | | make arrests or |
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