958

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

CHAP. 492

Now sections
added.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That five new sections be added to Article 1 of the
Public Local Laws of Maryland, entitled "Allegany County,"
sub- title "Dogs and Sheep," to be known as Sections 100 A,
100 B, 100 C, 100 D and 100 E.

100 A. That whenever any person shall sustain any loss
or damage to sheep by a dog, bitch or spayed bitch, in any

Encourage
sheep raising
and provid-
ing protec-
tion for loss
of sheep.

election district in said county, such person, his or her
agent or attorney may complain to any justice of the peace
in said district and if there be no justice of the peace in
said district then to a justice of the peace in one of the
adjoining districts, in writing, to be signed by the person
making such " complaint," stating therein when, where and
how such damage was done, and by whose dog or dogs, if
known; whereupon the said justice of the peace so called
upon shall notify the treasurer of said county of said claims,
and shall at once summons two disinterested persons to
at once examine into the alleged loss or damage alleged
to have been sustained, and to look at the sheep killed
or injured if possible; and they shall examine under oath
administered in due form by said justice of the peace
any witness called before them; and after making diligent
inquiry in relation to such claim, they shall report the same
in writing to said justice, and said justice shall report in
writing to the treasurer of said county whether any such
damage has been sustained, and the amount thereof, and
the name of the owner or keeper of such dog or dogs,
if known, by which such damage was done, and such
report so made by said justice shall be filed with the
County Commissioners, together with the affidavits and
names of all parties who were called as witnesses to the
killing of said sheep and the damages resulting therefrom,
and the report of the said two disinterested viewers, all of
which said papers shall be kept on files properly indexed in
the commissioners' office of the County Commissioners of
said Allegany county for inspection at any time; provided,
however, that any owner of any dog or dogs who shall refuse

Proviso.

to kill the same after having been notified by the justice of
the peace before whom such claim has been made, of such
damage done by his or her dog or dogs shall be liable for
all damages and costs of the same in suit to be instituted by
the claimant before any justice of the peace in said county.