26 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 23

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Mary-
land, That a new section be and it is hereby added to Article
63 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1939 Edition), title
"Mechanics' Lien", to be under sub-title "Livestock", said new
section to be known as Section 51, to follow immediately after
Section 50 of said Article, and to read as follows:

LIVESTOCK.

51. (a) The owner or operator of every livery stable or
other establishment giving care or custody to any horse or
other livestock shall have a lien thereon for any reasonable
charge for board and custody, training fees, veterinarians' and
blacksmiths' charges, and for other proper maintenance ex-
penses.

(b) Any person, association or corporation having a lien
under the provisions of this section may sell the horse or other
livestock at public auction sale, if the account is due and
unpaid for a period of thirty days after any such fee, charge
or expense shall have accrued and if the lienor still retains
possession of the same.

(c) The lienor must give at least one month's notice to the
owner of the horse or other livestock, by registered mail
addressed to the owner's last known address, before he may
proceed with any such sale. If the whereabouts of the owner
be unknown, such notice may be given by written or printed
notice set up at the Court House door of the County wherein
the animal is located, or City of Baltimore, as the case may be.

(d) Following such notice, if the account still remains due
and unpaid, the lienor may proceed to sell the horse or other
livestock at public auction sale to satisfy the said account.
Such sale shall not be held unless advertised in the public
press at least twice, seven days apart. The proceeds of such
sale shall be applied to the expenses thereof and then to the
liquidation of such indebtedness; and the balance, if any, shall
be paid over to the debtor.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby
declared to be an emergency measure and necessary for the
immediate preservation of the public health and safety, and
having been passed by a yea and nay vote, supported by three-
fifths of all of the members elected to each of the two Houses
of the General Assembly of Maryland, the same shall take
effect from the date of its passage.

Approved March 4, 1949.