STATE OF MAINE ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS And Regulations PUBLISHED BY THE ANIMAL WELFARE PROGRAM Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation & Forestry Division of Animal Health 28 State House Station Augusta, Maine 04333-0028 (207) 287-3846 Toll Free (In Maine Only) 1-877-269-9200 Revised December 6, 2019 RESERVATION OF RIGHTS AND DISCLAIMER All copyrights and other rights to statutory text are reserved by the State of Maine. The text included in this publication is current to the end of the 129th Legislature. It is a version that is presumed accurate but which has not been officially certified by the Secretary of State. Refer to the Maine Revised Statutes Annotated and supplements for certified text. Editors Notes: Please note in the index of this issue that changes to the statutes are in bold in the index and they are also underlined in the body of the law book. Missing section numbers are sections that have been repealed and can be found at maine.gov website under the Revisor of Statutes website. 2 | Page ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS MAINE REVISED STATUTES ANNOTATED TABLE OF CONTENTS 17 § 3901 Animal Welfare Act................................................................. 14 7 § 3902 Purposes .............................................................................. 14 7 § 3906-B Powers and Duties of Commissioner ........................................ 14 7 § 3906-C Animal Welfare Advisory Council ........................................... 16 7 § 3907 Definitions ......................................................................... 18 7 § 3909 Enforcement ....................................................................... 24 7 § 3910-A Forfeitures and Surcharge ..................................................... 25 7 § 3910-B Companion Animal Sterilization Fund ...................................... 26 CHAPTER 719 UNCONTROLLED DOGS 7 § 3911 Dogs at Large ...................................................................... 27 7 § 3911-A Abandonment of Wolf Hybrid ................................................ 27 7 § 3911-B Disposition of wolf hybrid at large ......................................... 27 7 § 3912 Disposition of Dogs at Large .................................................. 28 7 § 3913 Procedure for Stray Dogs ...................................................... 29 7 § 3914 Purchase and Sale of Animals ................................................ 31 7 § 3915 Violation ............................................................................. 31 CHAPTER 720 RABIES PREVENTION AND SHELTER PROVISIONS 7 § 3916 Rabies Vaccinations ............................................................... 32 7 § 3917 Antirabies Clinics ................................................................ 33 7 § 3918 Violation ............................................................................. 33 7 § 3919 Seizure of Stray Cats and Small Animals ................................. 33 7 § 3919-A Procedure for Acceptance and Disposition of Stray Cats By Animal Shelter ........................................................................................... 34 7 § 3919-B Disposition of Pet When Owner is Institutionalized ................... 35 7 § 3919-C Animal Held Pending Court Decision ....................................... 36 7 § 3919-D Temporary Animal Shelter ...................................................... 37 3 | Page 7 § 3919-E. Disposition of small animals .................................................... 37 CHAPTER 721 DOG LICENSES 7 § 3921 License Necessary ................................................................ 38 7 § 3921-A Permanent Identification of Wolf Hybrids ................................ 38 7 § 3921-B Prohibition on keeping a wolf hybrid; exception ....................... 38 7 § 3922 Issuance of License .............................................................. 39 7 § 3923-A License and Recording Fees .................................................... 40 7 § 3923-B Tags .................................................................................... 42 7 § 3923-C Kennel License ..................................................................... 43 7 § 3923-D Temporary Licenses .............................................................. 44 7 § 3923-E Monthly Report ..................................................................... 44 7 § 3923-F Veterinarian/Animal Shelter Serving as Dog Licensing Agent ..... 44 7 § 3923-G Internet Licensing Project ..................................................... 45 7 § 3924 Violation ............................................................................. 45 7§3925. Dog licensing database ............................................................... 46 CHAPTER 723 FACILITY LICENSES 7 § 3931-A Breeding Kennels .................................................................. 47 7 § 3932 Boarding Kennels .................................................................. 47 7 § 3932-A Animal Shelters .................................................................... 48 7 § 3933 Pet Shops ............................................................................ 48 7 § 3935 License Prohibited ................................................................. 49 7 § 3935-A Late Fees ............................................................................. 49 7 § 3936 Inspection and Quarantine ..................................................... 50 7 §3936-A Noncompliance; subsequent inspection required ........................ 50 7 § 3937 Investigation ........................................................................ 51 7 § 3938 Violation .............................................................................. 51 7 § 3938-A Minimum Age of Transfer for Cats and Dogs ............................. 51 7 § 3939 Dog Licenses ........................................................................ 51 7 § 3939-A Spay: neuter of dogs and cats ................................................ 51 7 § 3939-B Violations ............................................................................. 52 4 | Page CHAPTER 725 MUNICIPAL DUTIES 7 § 3941 Posting of Law ...................................................................... 54 7 § 3942 Issuance of Dog Licenses ....................................................... 54 7 § 3944 Issuance of Kennel Licenses ................................................... 54 7 § 3945 Use of license Fees and Court Fines Retained By Municipalities ... 54 7 § 3946 Dog Recorders in Unorganized Territories ................................ 54 7 § 3947 Animal Control Officers .......................................................... 55 7 § 3948 Animal Control ...................................................................... 55 7 § 3949 Animal Shelter Designation .................................................... 56 7 § 3950 Local Regulations .................................................................. 56 7 § 3950-A Official Refusal or Neglect of Duty ........................................... 57 7§3950-B. Euthanasia for severely sick or severely injured livestock………………57 CHAPTER 727 DANGEROUS DOGS 7 § 3951 Killing For Assault Permitted .................................................. 57 7 § 3952 Keeping a Dangerous Dog ...................................................... 57 7 § 3953 Stealing, Injuring or Killing Dogs ............................................ 62 7 § 3954 Prohibitions on dangerous dogs and nuisance dogs .................... 62 7 § 3955. Leaving the scene of an assault by a dog that causes an injury that requires medical attention for a person………………………………………………………………63 CHAPTER 729 DAMAGE BY ANIMALS 7 § 3961 Reimbursement For Damage Done By Animals ......................... 63 7 § 3961-A Attack On Service Animal ....................................................... 64 7 § 3962-A Penalty For Damage to Livestock or Pets By Animals ................. 64 7 § 3963 Joint and Several Liability ...................................................... 64 CHAPTER 730-A FERRETS 7 § 3970-A Sale and Importation of Juvenile Ferrets .................................. 65 7 § 3970-B Breeding and Sale of Small Mammals ...................................... 65 5 | Page CHAPTER 731 MISTREATMENT OF ANIMALS 7 § 3971 Vivisection Prohibited in Public and Private Schools ................... 66 7 § 3972 Unlawful Use of Animals ........................................................ 66 CHAPTER 733 TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS 7 § 3981 Intrastate Transportation of Animals ....................................... 68 7 § 3982 Liens ................................................................................... 69 7 § 3983 Possession of Animals Unlawfully Detained ............................... 69 7 § 3984 Enforcement of Lien .............................................................. 69 7 § 3985 Immunity from Liability ......................................................... 69 CHAPTER 735 RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS 7 § 3991 Regulations of Research Institutions ........................................ 70 CHAPTER 737 CALF AND PIG SCRAMBLES 7 § 4001 Regulations of Calf and Pig Scrambles ..................................... 72 CHAPTER 739 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS 7 § 4011 Cruelty to Animals ................................................................ 73 7 § 4012 Cruelty to Birds .................................................................... 75 7 § 4013 Necessary Sustenance ........................................................... 75 7 § 4014 Necessary