1180                             Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 536

the health, safety and public welfare of the residents of these
counties to adopt rules and regulations, by resolution and/or
ordinance, for the purpose of carrying out the powers hereinafter
granted, provided that such rules and regulations shall contain
proper standards for the exercise of the discretion contained therein,
and shall operate uniformly. The said rules and regulations shall
provide for the sale of dog licenses in said counties, the keeping of
records of all sales, the designation of persons authorized to sell such
licenses and taking into custody and disposition of any dog running
at large within the limits of these counties, with power to delegate by
written contract for the enforcement of such rules and regulations
provided, however, that in any such contract, the county commis-
sioners shall reserve the right to cancel, without notice or recourse,
such delegation for stated cause or on thirty days notice without
cause. Before the county commissioners shall proceed to enforce any
rule or regulation adopted pursuant to the provisions of this sub-
section, advertisement of a summary of such rule, regulation, resolu-
tion or ordinance shall be made in some newspaper published in the
county once each week for two successive weeks in order to provide
any person, firm or corporation adversely affected thereby an
opportunity to be heard by the county commissioners in opposition
to the adoption of such rule, regulation, resolution or ordinance.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 197 of this article, the
county commissioners may in their discretion use all or any part of
the dog license tax for the establishment of a pound, and for the
collection or destruction of dogs. The county commissioners are
further authorized and empowered, hereby, to appoint dog wardens
and to provide compensation therefor, who shall have all the powers
of a peace officer who may sell and issue dog licenses, and take into
custody and dispose of stray, injured, unlicensed, diseased or vicious
dogs in accordance with rules and regulations of the county com-
missioners and pursuant to this subsection. The county commis-
sioners are further authorized and empowered to provide dog pounds
wherein dogs seized by dog wardens may be placed or, in the discre-
tion of the commissioners to enter into agreement with adjacent
counties for the establishment of a dog pound to serve all of such
counties. The commissioners are further authorized to pay any
expenses arising from the operation of this subsection. This sub-
section shall not be operative or effective within the corporate limits
of any incorporated town or city within either county unless and
until the governing body thereof shall indicate by resolution its
intention to be governed by the provisions of this subsection.

(2) Any dog owner violating the rules and regulations provided
for in the preceding paragraph (1), in Worcester County, is guilty of
a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof will be subject to a fine of
not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for the first offense or a
fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100.00) for each
additional offense.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1971.

Approved May 17, 1971.