HARRY W. NICE, GOVERNOR. 473

or known to be vicious shall be surrendered for adoption but
shall upon the expiration of 96. hours for redemption be forth-
with destroyed; with the exception that if any such dog is
suspected of having rabies it shall be held for a period of at
least ten days for observation before it is destroyed or other-
wise disposed of.

It shall be the duty of the Warden upon learning of a dog
being suspected of rabies immediately to investigate the case,
confer with the owner and if in the Warden's judgment or the
judgment of any licensed veterinarian called in consultation,
there is reasonable ground to believe the dog may have rabies,
he shall immediately impound the dog at the owner's home if
satisfactory facilities are available or a public pound or shel-
ter and keep it completely isolated from all persons and ani-
mals for a period of at least ten days and if at the end of the
period of observation the dog seems fully recovered of its
malady or shows that it has no further symptoms of rabies,
the Warden shall then release the dog to its owner who shall
be liable for the hoard bill for said dog at Thirty-five Cents
(35c) per day for the period of its detention at any public
pound or shelter.

256H. OWNERSHIP OF DOGS. Only such dogs in the County
of Anne Arundel of licensing age as are duly licensed shall be
deemed personal property when at large and may be the sub-
ject of larceny and unlawful trespass and the owners thereof
may maintain any action for the unlawful killing of such
licensed dogs or injury thereto or unlawful use thereof as in
the case of other personal property; the fact that a dog is
without a tag attached to a collar, as provided in this Article,
shall be presumptive evidence that the dog is unlicensed.

Legal title to a stray dog or a dog not wearing a license tag
with complete defense against an action in replevin can be
perfected only by strict compliance with the following pro-
visions:

A person, without fraud, lawfully and innocently gaining
possession of such a dog must, within four days, deliver it to
the Warden of his licensing district and at that time shall file
with the Warden a written description of the dog stating
when, where, and how it came into his possession and declar-
ing in writing his assumption of boarding expense at Fifty
Cents (50c) per day and intention legally to adopt the dog
provided it, is not properly redeemed by an owner. If said
dog is not reclaimed, as herein before provided, then any
former title to it is forfeited and such person shall have the
first right to its adoption and it shall be surrendered to him
upon his taking out a current license for the dog and paying
the board charge at Fifty Cents (50c) per day.