Maine Revised Statutes Title 17 Sec. 1023 – Investigation and reporting of cruelty
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1. Investigations; reports. Law enforcement officers, animal control officers and humane agents shall investigate alleged violations of Title 7, chapter 739 and this chapter. The commissioner shall maintain a record of each alleged case of cruelty to animals investigated by a humane agent. The commissioner shall report annually on the disposition of cases as required under Title 7, section 3906?B.
A law enforcement officer or animal control officer who investigates a case of alleged cruelty to animals and pursues a civil or criminal action based on that investigation shall report to the commissioner on the final disposition of the case.
[PL 2001, c. 422, §13 (NEW).]
Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 17 Sec. 1023
- Animal: means every living, sentient creature not a human being. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 17 Sec. 1011
- Animal control: means control of dogs, cats, domesticated or undomesticated animals which may be a problem in the community and which are not controlled by any other law. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 17 Sec. 1011
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry or his duly authorized agent. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 17 Sec. 1011
- Humane agent: means an employee of the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry who assists in enforcing this chapter. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 17 Sec. 1011
- Law enforcement officer: means any person who, by virtue of his public employment, is vested by law with a duty to maintain public order, enforce any law of this State establishing a civil violation, prosecute offenders or make arrests for crimes, whether that duty extends to all crimes or is limited to specific crimes. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 17 Sec. 1011
2. Commissioner role.
[PL 1997, c. 690, §67 (RP).]
3. Cooperation between agencies. For the purposes of this section, law enforcement officers, the commissioner or the commissioner’s designee, humane agents, a state veterinarian and certified animal control officers may exchange information and reports pertaining to an investigation of cruelty to animals pursuant to subsection 4 and Title 7, section 3909, subsection 6.
[PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. B, §11 (AMD).]
4. Confidential information. The names of and other identifying information about persons providing information pertaining to criminal or civil cruelty to animals to the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry are confidential information and may not be released.
[PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. C, §2 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1987, c. 383, §4 (NEW). PL 1989, c. 701, §§5,6 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 779, §50 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 690, §§66,67 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 422, §13 (RPR). PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. B, §11 (AMD). PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. C, §2 (AMD).