An Act To Protect the Public from Dangerous Dogs
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3952, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 1999, c. 350, §2, is further amended to read:
A. Order the dog muzzled, restrained, confined to the premises of its owner or keeper or confined in a secure enclosure. The court may set standards for that enclosure For the purposes of this paragraph, “secure enclosure” means a fence or structure of at least six feet in height forming or making an enclosure suitable to prevent the entry of young children and suitable to confine a dangerous dog in conjunction with other measures that may be taken by the owner or keeper, such as tethering of the dangerous dog. The secure enclosure must be locked, be designed with secure sides, top and bottom and be designed to prevent the animal from escaping from the enclosure; or
Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §3952, sub-§7, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 350, §2, is amended to read:
7. Class D crime. If the owner refuses or neglects to comply with an order issued under subsection 1 or 4-A, the owner commits a Class D crime. The court, as part of the judgment, may prohibit a person convicted under this subsection from owning or possessing a dog or having a dog on that person's premises for a period of time. The prohibition may be permanent.
summary
This bill establishes standards for a secure enclosure in which to confine a dangerous dog. It also allows the court to prohibit a person convicted of violating a court order pertaining to a dangerous dog from possessing or keeping a dog.