Sec. 1. 7 MRSA c. 717, is amended by repealing the chapter headnote and enacting the following in its place:

CHAPTER 717

ANIMAL WELFARE ACT

Sec. 2. 7 MRSA §3907, sub-§12-D is enacted to read:

12-D.__Dangerous dog.__"Dangerous dog" means a dog that bites an individual who is not trespassing on the dog owner's premises at the time of the incident or a dog that causes a reasonable person who is acting in a neutral manner outside of the dog owner's premises to fear imminent bodily harm by attacking or threatening to attack that individual or that individual's domestic animal.

Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §3909, sub-§3 is enacted to read:

3.__Education requirement; management.__A humane agent hired after January 1, 1999 shall attend a nationally recognized animal law enforcement training program of at least 40 hours' duration.__ A humane agent, regardless of date of employment, must receive a minimum of 12 hours of related education annually.

Sec. 4. 7 MRSA §3911, as amended by PL 1987, c. 643, §1, is further amended to read:

§3911. Dogs at large

It is unlawful for any dog, licensed or unlicensed, to run be at large, except when used for hunting. The owner or keeper of any dog found running at large shall be is subject to the penalties provided in this chapter.

Sec. 5. 7 MRSA §3912, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 690, §10, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§3912.__Disposition of dogs at large

An animal control officer or person acting in that capacity shall seize, impound or restrain a dog found in violation of section 3911, shall deliver it to an animal shelter as provided in section 3913, subsection 2-A or shall take the dog to its owner, if known.__If ownership can not be established, such an animal may be handled as a stray for the purposes of acceptance by an approved animal shelter.