CHAPTER 318

S.P. 163 - L.D. 537

An Act Relating to Animals in Food Stores and Restaurants

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 17 MRSA §3966, as enacted by PL 1973, c. 625, §94, is amended to read:

§3966. Animals in food stores

It is unlawful for any person, other than the owner or manager, to bring any an animal into a store where food is sold for human consumption or into a restaurant where food is prepared and served on the premises. This section shall does not apply to any a person requiring the services of a seeing-eye dog service animal.

For the purposes of this section, "service animal" means an animal that has been prescribed for an individual with a disability by a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist and a guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair or fetching items.