1652

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 161

16-701.

(a)  (1) [A] IF A qualified veterinarian, as defined in
the Agriculture Article, OR A KENNEL COMMERCIAL BOARDING
KENNEL OPERATOR [who] gives care or custody to any animal or
[who] performs medical or other services necessary and
incidental to [his profession] THEIR PROFESSIONS to any
animal [in his] UNDER care or custody, THE VETERINARIAN OR
KENNEL COMMERCIAL BOARDING KENNEL OPERATOR may notify the
owner after the animal is ready for delivery that [it] THE
ANIMAL is ready.

(2) Notice may be given in person or by
registered or certified mail or, if the owner's address is
unknown, by posting the notice for [30] 10 days on the door
of the courthouse or on a bulletin board in the immediate
vicinity of the courthouse of the county where the animal is
located.

(b)  If the animal is not claimed within [30] 10 days
of the date the notice is given or posted, the owner
forfeits his title to the animal and the veterinarian OR THE
KENNEL COMMERCIAL BOARDING KENNEL OPERATOR may:

(1)  Sell the animal at public sale, except for
purposes of experimentation or vivisection; or

(2)  Turn the animal over to an animal welfare
agency serving the county in which the animal is located or,
if there is no animal welfare agency in that county, to the
nearest animal welfare agency . ; OR

(3) TURN THE ANIMAL OVER TO A RESPONSIBLE
PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL IN THE COUNTY.

(C) IF THE VETERINARIAN OR KENNEL COMMERCIAL BOARDING
KENNEL OPERATOR GIVES NOTICE TO THE OWNER OF THE ANIMAL AS
PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION, THE
VETERINARIAN, KENNEL COMMERCIAL BOARDING KENNEL OPERATOR,
AND ANY CUSTODIAN TO WHOM THE ANIMAL MAY BE GIVEN ARE
RELIEVED OF ANY FURTHER LIABILITY FOR DISPOSAL.

[(c) Notice of any sale under subsection (b)(1) of
this section shall be published once a week for two
successive weeks in one or more newspapers of general
circulation in the county in which the animal is located.]

(d) (1) The proceeds of any sale under subsection
(b)(1) of this section shall be applied, in the following
order, to:

(i) The expenses of the sale; and

(ii) The amount of the indebtedness of the
owner of the animal.