602                               LAWS OF MARYLAND                        [CH. 347

make it possible shall seize any dog reasonably known to be un-
licensed, and any such officer shall seize any dog found at large not
wearing the license tag required by law.

The owner of any dog seized as above provided, may redeem it
within 96 hours from the time of its apprehension, first, by describing
it in some fair manner and proving ownership, and then by securing
a current license and tag and paying the board bill for the time the
dog is held at a duly established shelter.

If not so redeemed within the time stated it shall be placed with any
responsible person willing to adopt it or humanely destroyed. All
females must be spayed before adoption by a licensed Veterinarian.

200C. (Unauthorized Possession of Dog.) The unauthorized pos-
session of a dog or dogs by any person not the true owner, for a period
exceeding three days without notifying either the owner, or the
authorized dog shelter and/or the local police authority, of such
possession, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction be-
fore a trial magistrate or Circuit Court of Baltimore County shall be
subject to a fine of not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor more than
twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

200D. (Disposition of Dead Dogs.) The owner of any dog which
has died from disease or any other cause shall forthwith provide for
the cremation or burial of the same. If he fails to do so, he shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction before a trial magis-
trate, shall be fined a sum of five dollars ($5.00), which said fine shall
be remitted to the Dog License Commission for the purpose of defray-
ing expense of burial of said animal.

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

200E. (Destruction of and Reimbursement for Domestic Animals.)
Owners of property seeking compensation from the Dog License Com-
mission 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 forty-
eight hours from the date of his knowledge of the occurrence, apply
to the Dog License Commission for the appointment by the Commis-
sion of three disinterested persons, as appraisers 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 Dog License Com-
mission their reasons for believing that a dog did the damage, the
number of each kind of animal injured or killed, the character and
extent of the injury done, the reasonable salvage possible and 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 completed is filed with the said Com-
mission, the Commission Dr. representative shall view the premises
and, if possible, the animals or carcasses, and investigate the claim
and determine, if possible, the identity and ownership of the dog