HP0371, LD 547, item 1, An Act Regarding Service Dogs

An Act Regarding Service Dogs

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

Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3922, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2007, c. 664, §11, is further amended to read:

4. Service dogs. If a service dog has not been previously registered or licensed by the municipal clerk to whom the application is being made, the clerk may not register the dog nor issue to its owner or keeper a license and tag that identifies the dog as a service dog unless the applicant presents written evidence to the municipal clerk that the dog meets the definition of "service dog." For the purpose of this subsection "written evidence" means a service dog certification form approved by the department in consultation with the Maine Human Rights Commission. The service dog certification form must include a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner indicating that the owner or keeper or a member of the owner's or keeper's household requires the service dog and a certification or other document indicating that the service dog has completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have a sound temperament suitable for a service dog.

Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §3923-B, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:

1-A. Service dog registration tag. In accordance with subsection 1, the department shall ensure that, with regard to the registration and licensing of a service dog, the service dog's registration tag clearly indicates that the dog is a service animal pursuant to Title 5, section 4553, subsection 9-E. The department shall devise a method of ensuring that a service dog's registration tag is clearly visible to the public.

SUMMARY

This bill requires that an individual registering a service dog present to the municipal clerk a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner indicating that the individual or a member of the individual's household requires the service dog and a certification or other document indicating that the service dog has completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have a sound temperament suitable for a service dog. It also requires the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to ensure that the registration tag of a service dog clearly indicates that the dog is a service animal and to devise a method of ensuring that a service dog's registration tag is visible to the public.

HP0371 LD 547	Session - 127th Maine Legislature		LR 304 Item 1
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