Ch. 424                                    1994 LAWS OF MARYLAND

CHAPTER 424
(House Bill 1328)

AN ACT concerning

Abandoned Animals - Veterinarian's and Commercial Kennel Operator's Rights

FOR the purpose of clarifying when the owner of an animal that was given to the custody
of a veterinarian or a commercial kennel operator is deemed to have forfeited title
to the animal.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article - Commercial Law
Section 16-701

Annotated Code of Maryland
(1990 Replacement Volume and 1993 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE It" ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Commercial Law

16-701.

(a)     (1) If a qualified veterinarian, as defined in the Agriculture Article, or a
commercial boarding kennel operator gives care or custody to any animal or performs
medical or other services necessary and incidental to their professions to any animal
under care or custody, the veterinarian or commercial boarding kennel operator may
notify the owner after the animal is ready for delivery that 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 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 AND TAKEN BY THE OWNER FROM THE
VETERINARIAN OR THE BOARDING KENNEL within 10 days of the date the notice is
given or posted, the owner forfeits his title to the animal and the veterinarian or the
commercial boarding kennel operator may:

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

(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.

- 2094 -