654                              Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 181

any person, the owner or keeper may be required to deliver up the
offending dog to be killed in the most humane manner possible unless
he removes the dog permanently from the neighborhood. If the
owner or keeper is required to deliver up the dog to be killed or to re-
move it as aforesaid and he refuses or fails to do so, then it is the duty
of any police officer or any duly empowered agent on behalf of the
county to seize the dog wherever it may be found and to cause it
to be killed in the most humane manner possible. The court may order
the dog restrained or enter such other appropriate order as the case
may require. Any owner failing to comply with the provisions of this
paragraph or a court order entered thereunder is guilty of a mis-
demeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine of
not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each offense. Notwith-
standing the aforegoing provisions of this subsection, the barking
of hunting dogs in pursuit of game shall not be considered a dis-
turbance of the public peace for the purposes hereof.

(4) It is unlawful in Cecil County for any person to own or keep
a domestic animal which disturbs the peace and quiet of any neigh-
borhood in an inhabited area, or which is vicious and bites any per-
son. Upon the sworn complaint [before a trial magistrate} in the
District Court sitting in Cecil County of any two or more persons
of different households alleging that a domestic animal disturbs the
peace and quiet of any neighborhood in an inhabited area of Cecil
County, or upon the sworn complaint of any one or more persons that
a domestic animal is vicious and has bitten any person a summons
shall issue to the owner or keeper of such domestic animal to appear
[before a trial magistrate] in the District Court sitting in Cecil
County. Upon proof that the domestic animal disturbs the peace and
quiet of any neighborhood in an inhabited area, or is vicious and
has bitten any person, the owner or keeper may be required to deliver
up the offending domestic animal to be killed in the most humane
manner possible unless he removes the domestic animal permanently
from the neighborhood. If the owner or keeper is required to deliver
up the domestic animal to be killed or to remove it as aforesaid, and
he refuses or fails to do so, then it is the duty of any police officer
or any duly empowered agent on behalf of the county to seize the
domestic animal wherever it may be found and to cause it to be killed
in the most humane manner possible. The court may order the domes-
tic animal restrained or enter such other appropriate order as the
case may require. Any owner failing to comply with the provisions
of this paragraph or a court order entered thereunder is guilty of a
misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a
fine of not more than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each offense.
Notwithstanding the aforegoing provisions of this subsection, the
barking of hunting dogs in pursuit of game shall not be considered a
disturbance of the public peace for the purposes hereof.

198. Compensation for sheep, etc., killed by dog; dog to be killed;
special provisions for certain counties.

When any inhabitant of any county shall have any sheep, poultry,
or livestock destroyed or injured by a dog or dogs he may apply to
[any trial magistrate] the sheriff of said county, who shall appoint
three disinterested persons as appraisers to view and appraise the
damages by him sustained; at least one of said appraisers shall be a
deputy sheriff of said county and they, under oath, shall state in