EMERSON C. HARRINGTON, GOVERNOR. 371

SEC. 9. And be it enacted, That when any resident of Mont-
gomery County shall have any domestic fowls or animals
destroyed or injured by dogs, he may apply to any Justice of
the Peace of said County, 'who shall appoint three disinterested
persons as appraisers to view and appraise the damages by him
sustained, and they or a majority of them, shall, under oath,
state in writing to the County Commissioners the number of
fowls or animals so killed, the character and extent of the in-
jury, if any, and the amount of damages sustained by the
owner, and in like manner they shall give a general description
of both the destroyed and injured fowl or animals, and both
the appraisers and the owners shall make oath that they believe
the same to have been destroyed or injured by dogs, and they
or either of them shall state under oath the names of the
owners of said dogs, and when the report of such proceedings
shall have been filed in the office of the County Commissioners
the said Commissioners shall review said report, and if in their
judgment the amount of damages stated is unfair they shall
award such amounts as they may deem fair; provided, that
before the Commissioners shall make any award of damages
for the killing of said fowls or animals the person claiming
damages shall be required to prove to the satisfaction of the
County Commissioners that he does not know and is unable
with reasonable diligence, to ascertain the owner of the dogs
which did such damage, or if the said owner is known, to
prove to the satisfaction of said commissioners that it is im-
practicable to collect the amount of damage sustained by suit
against the owner of said dogs; and in case any dog shall
be known to kill any domestic fowls or animals it shall be
lawful for any person to kill such dog, and in case of damage
to any person by reason of loss or injury to his domestic fowls or
animals shall be from dogs, either his own or kept upon his
premises, he shall be entitled to no compensation under this
Act; and, provided, further, that said County Commissioners
may allow the costs of. appraisement or such proportion thereof
as in their discretion may seem reasonable out of said fund in
each case where such damages are allowed; and may also
allow payment for the treatment, by the Pasteur or other treat-
ment, of any person who may be bitten by a mad dog, cat,
horse or other animal, and who is unable to pay for such treat-
ment for himself or herself, out of such fund, if in the judg-
ment of said County Commissioners the circumstances justify
such action.