B.__The court shall hear and determine the motion as expeditiously as possible.

C.__The owner shall submit an affidavit setting forth specific facts to substantiate the modification or dissolution of the order.__The applicant has the burden of presenting evidence to substantiate the original findings.

Sec. 4. 7 MRSA §3952, sub-§7 is enacted to read:

7.__Class D crime.__If the owner refuses or neglects to comply with the orders in subsections 1 and 4, the owner commits a Class D crime.

SUMMARY

This bill seeks to strengthen enforcement of the laws pertaining to dangerous dogs. The bill adds the district attorney as a person to which an individual may file a complaint when the individual, or if a minor, the individual's parent or guardian is assaulted by a dangerous dog. The bill indicates that if the dog has inflicted a serious bodily injury to a person an ex parte order may be entered. The bill also makes it a Class D crime if an owner does not abide by the orders in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 7, section 3952, subsections 1 and 4.