682 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 620

If the owner of any dead dog is not known and after inquiry
cannot be found the Warden shall dispose of said carcass by
cremation or burial.

256J. (Destruction of and Reimbursement for Domestic

' Animals. ) Owners of property seeking compensation from the

County are charged with the duty of providing reasonable care

and protection for their animals and the requirements of this

section are to be construed strictly.

Whoever suffers loss by dogs on his own property by the
maiming or killing of his livestock or poultry, outside the
premises of the owners or keepers of such dogs, may, provided
he acts within seventy-two hours from the date of his knowl-
edge of the occurrence, apply to any justice of the peace in his
district for the appointment of three disinterested persons, not
being related or members of the family or household, as ap-
praisers to view, if possible, and appraise the damages by him
claimed; and they, or a majority of them, under oath, shall
state in writing to the Board of County Commissioners their
reasons for believing that a dog did the damage, the number
of each kind of animal injured or killed, the character and ex-
tent of the injury done, the reasonable salvage possible that
the net amount of damages sustained by the owners. The
owner and the appraisers shall make oath that they believe
, the damage was done by a dog and when the claim so com-
pleted is filed with the said Board it shall direct the Warden
of the district to view the premises and, if possible, the ani-
mals or carcasses, and investigate the claim and its manner of
proof, and determine, if possible, the identity and ownership
of the dog responsible for the loss and report his findings and
recommendations concerning the same. If such identity and
ownership is not known then the Board shall review the claim
and the report of the Warden and shall determine the amount^
if any, of damages to be awarded and which shall be paid, and
the Board's award shall be final. No award or payment on
any such claim shall be made unless it is completed and filed
with the clerk of said Board within four days from the date
of appointment of the appraisers.

If the owner of the dog is known, the Warden shall direct
him immediately to impound such dog until authorized by the
Board to release it and he, together with the claimant sustain-
ing the loss shall appear before the Board at their next meet-
ing after notice from the Warden and if after review of the
claim and the Warden's report on the same, the amount of
damages awarded by the Board to the claimant is acknowl-
edged and paid by the owner of the dog, the dog then shall be
released provided it is duly licensed at the time of the killing,