CHAPTER 138

H.P. 907 - L.D. 1309

An Act To Exempt Agricultural Guard Dogs and Herding Dogs

from the Barking Dog Ordinances

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 7 MRSA §3950, as amended by PL 1991, c. 779, §40, is further amended to read:

§3950. Local regulations

Each municipality is empowered to adopt or retain more stringent ordinances, laws or regulations dealing with the subject matter of this chapter, except that municipalities may not adopt breed-specific ordinances, laws or regulations. Any less restrictive municipal ordinances, laws or regulations are invalid and of no force and effect.

1.__Certain agricultural working dogs exempt from barking dog ordinances.__A municipal ordinance, law or regulation that prohibits or limits barking dogs does not apply to dogs engaged in herding livestock or to agricultural guard dogs engaged in protecting livestock__or warning the owners of danger to the livestock.__For the purposes of this subsection, the term "livestock" has the same meaning as in section 3907, subsection 18-A.