13. Spaying and neutering fund. The commissioner chief humane agent may accept funds from any private or public source for the purpose of subsidizing spaying and neutering. The commissioner chief humane agent shall deposit all funds accepted for this purpose into a separate, nonlapsing spaying and neutering account. The commissioner chief humane agent shall establish guidelines for payments and make payments from the fund. All payments from the fund must be used to subsidize spaying and neutering of dogs and cats.

14. Information. The commissioner chief humane agent may obtain, develop or disseminate any information useful or convenient for carrying out any purpose or power of the commissioner chief humane agent.

15. Annual report. The commissioner chief humane agent shall report the activities of the commissioner chief humane agent annually by March 1st to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters. This report must include a summary of cases of cruelty to animals investigated by the commissioner chief humane agent, a summary of final dispositions of those cases and an account of deposits into and payments from the spaying and neutering fund.

Sec. 3. 7 MRSA §3906-C, first ¶, as repealed and replaced by PL 2001, c. 399, §3, is amended to read:

The Animal Welfare Advisory Council, as established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 2-C and referred to in this section as the "council," shall advise the commissioner chief humane agent on matters pertaining to animal welfare.

Sec. 4. 7 MRSA §3906-C, sub-§§2, 4 and 6, as repealed and replaced by PL 2001, c. 399, §3, are amended to read:

2. State member; staff. The commissioner chief humane agent or the commissioner's chief humane agent's designee serves as an ex officio nonvoting member. The department shall provide necessary staffing services to the council.

4. Terms of office. Except for initial appointees and the commissioner chief humane agent or the commissioner's chief humane agent's designee, each member serves for a term of 3 years or until the member's successor has qualified. Except for the commissioner chief humane agent or the commissioner's chief humane agent's designee, a member may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms. In the case of a vacancy for any reason, the