Update on bills summarized in Downeast Dogs News in the April 2009 issue.

LD 178—An Act to Create the Support Animal Welfare Registration Plate

This bill is awaiting its second reading in the Senate as part of the legislative process and is expected to then be sent to the governor for his signature. Plates are expected to be available in October 2009.

LD 186—An Act Pertaining to the Possession of Animal Fighting Paraphernalia

The Legislative committee voted that this bill ought not to pass. It is expected that the committee report will be accepted, which means the bill will die and not become law.

LD 223—An Act to Ensure that the Money Received from the Surcharge on Registration of Pet Food is Used for the Sterilization of Animals

The bill is expected to pass as amended. The amendment provides that the first $100,000 in surcharges received by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources for the registration of pet food is deposited in the Companion Animal Sterilization Fund (Help Fix ME program).

LD 412—An Act to Create an Animal Welfare Trailer License Plate

This bill did not pass. No such trailer license plate will be created.

LD 454—An Act to Provide Representation for Dog Clubs on the Animal Welfare Advisory Council

This bill had its public hearing April 15 and is expected to be scheduled for a work session soon. The committee is expected to vote on it at the work session.

LD 517—An Act to Authorize Employment of Animal Control Officers by Animal Shelters

This bill had its public hearing and work session. The committee voted that it ought to pass as amended. Another update is expected in June.

LD 879—An Act to Allow Licensed Kennel Owners to Vaccinate their own Dogs

This bill had its public hearing April 15 and is expected to be scheduled for a work session soon. The committee is expected to vote on it at the work session.

LD 964—An Act Pertaining to the Breeding and Selling of Dogs and Cats

This bill resulted from the recommendations of the working group created under LD 2010 in 2008. It had its public hearing April 15 and is expected to be scheduled for a work session soon. The committee is expected to vote on it at the work session.

LD 988—An Act to Increase the Penalty for keeping a Dangerous Dog that Harms a Domesticated Animal

This bill did not pass.

LD 1053—An Act to Ensure Humane Dog and Cat Breeding in the State

This bill did not pass.

Bills printed since the April 2009 issue of Downeast Dogs News are as follows. LD 1103—An Act to Amend the Animal Welfare Laws

This is the Animal Welfare Program Department bill, which proposes to make a number of changes to existing animal welfare laws, including the following.

1. Increase the membership of the Animal Welfare Advisory Council (AWAC) by adding a member to represent licensed breeding kennels;



2. Change the existing definition of a “boarding kennel” to include training facilities where animals are boarded or kept while the animals are in training;



3. Allow trained humane agents to issue civil summons for violation of Maine’s animal welfare laws;



4. Allow the department to investigate complaints about animal control officers and, if appropriate, suspend or revoke state issue certification of animal control officers;



5. Require of licensed animals shelter to implement an adoption policy, approved by the department, to request reimbursement as permitted under Maine’s animal welfare laws. Licensed shelter without an adoption policy approved by the department would no longer be eligible for reimbursement for stray dogs;



6. Reduce the minimum holding period for feral cats by shelters to 24 hours provided the shelter follows a standard behavioral assessment protocol approved by the department when making the determination that the cat is feral.



7. Require that an animal shelter that accepts an animal where an owner has been hospitalized or incarcerated send notice to the last known address of that person;



8. Repeal the municipal dog license warrant procedure and change the late to a year-round fee of $25 per license;



9. Allow the department to propose and adopt rules that allow licensed animal shelters to sell dog licenses;



10. Prohibit felons to own an animal shelter within 10 years of conviction;



11. Allow the department to suspend the license of a facility when it violates any quarantine or fails to comply with rules adopted by the department, fails to keep records as required, or violates any law or rule adopted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife;



12. Require a municipality to notify the department within 10 days of appointment or vacancy of its animal control officer position;



13. Change the law to require law enforcement and animal control officer to ensure that companion animals (current law applies to stray animals, companion or otherwise) only, are given necessary veterinary attention;



14. Increase the fine for official refusal or neglect of duty if a mayor, municipal officer, clerk, town or city manager, administrative assistant to the mayor, town or city councilor, dog recorder of unorganized territories, constable, police officer, sheriff or animal control officer refuses or intentionally fails to perform the duties imposed by certain sections of Maine’s animal welfare laws;



15. Amend the definition of dogs formerly referred to as “Arctic breeds” to “dogs kept as sled dogs” means dogs regularly and consistently used in training or participation in competitive or recreational sled dog activities” for purposes of shelter requirements if confined by tethering for long periods of time;



16. Allow the department to investigate complaints against pet shops, animal shelters and kennels, and to suspend or revoke licenses pending an administrative hearing under Maine’s Administrative Procedure Act.

This bill was also heard at the public hearing held April 15 and is expected to be scheduled for a work session soon at which the committee is likely to vote on the bill.

LD 1286—An Act to Amend State Dog Licensing Laws

This bill proposed to repeal the licensing requirements for an individual dog and instead proposes to institute a $5 surcharge per dose on all rabies vaccines, to be paid by a distributor that sells rabies vaccines in this state. The surcharge would then be used to fund the Animal Welfare Program. This bill also proposes to reduce the kennel license fee from $42 to $21. The bill had its public hearing April 15 and is expected to be scheduled for a work session soon at which the committee is expected to vote on the bill.

To read the entire text of any bill, committee information and for updates on the status, possible amendments, hearing and/or work session dates, go online to the Maine Legislature’s website at janus.state.me.us/legis/LawMakerWeb/search.asp, and enter the LD number in the “Search” field.

Those bills that are waiting for work sessions the sessions are public; however, generally, no public testimony is taken. Committee members may be contacted, however, and opinions may be expressed before the committee votes at the work session. Live audio for public hearings and work sessions may be available online at maine.gov/legis/audio/cmte_directory.htm.