An Act To Amend the Animal Welfare Laws
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3906-B, sub-§17 is enacted to read:
17. Fund-raising. The commissioner may engage in the marketing and selling of general merchandise products to generate supplemental funds, which must be deposited in the animal welfare auxiliary fund established under subsection 16.
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §4041, sub-§1-A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 439, §29, is further amended to read:
1-A. Trespass. An owner or keeper of an animal may not allow that animal to enter onto or remain on the property of another or on any local, county or state road or highway after the owner or keeper has been informed by a law enforcement officer or animal control officer that that animal was found on the that property of another or on that local, county or state road or highway.
Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §4041, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7. Cost recovery. The commissioner shall recover from the owner found to be in violation of subsection 1-A 3 times in a 90-day period all costs incurred by the department that are directly related to the removal of an animal.
summary
This bill strengthens the animal trespass statute and allows the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources to market and sell general merchandise to generate supplemental funds for the animal welfare program.