An Act to amend and reenact § 46.1-299, as amended, of the Code of Virginia, relating to devices signalling intention to turn or stop and rules therefor.
Volume 1968 Law 99
Volume | 1883/1884 |
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Law Number | 341 |
Subjects |
Law Body
Chap. 341.—An ACT for the protection of Sheep in the county of Page.
Approved March 7, 1884.
1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That it shall be
the duty of the commissioner of the revenue for the county
of Page to take annually, at the time of listing the taxable
property, a list of all dows, male and female, with the name
of the owner, or person in whose possession the same may
be found upon the oath or affirmation of the owner or house-
keeper, or the head of the tumily with whom, or on whose
lot, farm or premises any dog or dogs may be found, as to
the number of dows such persons may own or have, or may
be found upon his or her lot, farm or premises, whether
owned by him, or her, or not, and shall return such list of
dogs to the clerk's oflice of said county at the time when he
returns his lists of taxable property under the like fines.
penalties, and forfeitures as are now incurred by him for
neglect of any similar duties under existing laws as to his
duties in listing and returning lists of taxable property: pro-
vided that such housekeeper or head of a family shall be
entitled to hold one dog w hich shall not be listed and shall
be free from tax.
2. That every dog kept or straying about any house, lot,
farm or premiscs, ‘shall be deemed sufficient ‘evidence of
ownership to authorize the commissioner of the revenue of
said county to return the person inhabiting said house, lot,
farm or premises as the owner of such dog, and every dog
not returned, and if returned, the tax be not paid thereon,
shall be deemed to have no owner, and may be lawfully killed
by any person seeing him or her at large.
3. Upon complaint of any person to a justice of the peace
of said county that there is a dog that is not listed, staying
about the premises of any person, the justice shall summon
such person and the commissioner of the revenue to appear
before him and give evidence as to the listing and ownership
of such dog, and if it appear that the person charged with
the ownership of such dog is the owner thereof, and has
failed to list the same as required by this act, the commis-
sioner of the revenue of said county shall thereupon list such
dog, and if the owner fail to pay the tax thereon and the
cost hereby incurred within ten days thereafter, he shall be
fined the sum of one dollar and costs of such procoedings,
and in any case where the owner of the dog is delinquent
in payment of the tax on the same, or any fine arising from
non-compliance with this act, it shall be the duty of the
constable of the district to kill said dog, for which he shall
receive one dollar out of the funds hereinafter provided, and
to that end the constable shall obtain a list from the county
treasurer of all delinquents under this act, and shall, in thirty
days, discharge his duty in this behalf, and on failure so to
do, when practicable, he shall be fined by any justice of the
peace in his district, one dollar for each day he so fails to
kill, and be responsible for any damage such dog or dogs
may do in consequence of bis neglect. .
4. When said commissioner of the revenue shall have
ascertained the number of dogs, he shall assess a license tax
of one dollar per head on all dogs and spayed bitches, and
on all unspayed bitches two dollars per head. and the sum
so assessed shall be collected and accounted for by the county
treasurer as county levies are by law directed to be collected
and accounted for, and the treasurer of. said county shall
keep a separate account for the fund arising from the said
tax, and the fines and penalties arising from the execution of
the said act. The said fund shall be appropriated, first, to
the payment of the fees, charges. and other expenses incurred
in enforcing this act; secondly, for remunerating the owners
of shecp in Y said county for any loss they may sustain in the
killing or crippling of their sheep by dogs; thirdly, for the
payment of such premiums as are hercinatter provided for;
fourthly, the residue, if any, to be applied to the support of
free schools of the county, such residue to be divided among
the several school districts of the county in proportion to the
funds received from each for the same purpose, and to be used
by the boards of free school trustees of such districts solely
for the purpose of employing and paying teachers in said
schools as is now done with the county levy for the same
urpose.
5. It shall be the duty of any justice of the peace in said
county, whenever any owner of sheep, or his ayvents, shall
make a declaration before him, that his sheep have been
killed or severely wounded by dogs, to hear evidence as to
the number of sheep killed or severely wounded, and as to
the amount of damages sustained. In no case, however,
shall the amount allowed exceed the assessed value thereof.
The justice hearing the case, shall return to the owner of the
sheep killed or severely wounded, a certificate under bis
hand, setting forth the damages sustained, and a like certifi-
cate to the clerk of the county court of said county, who
shall present it to the board of supervisors at their next
meeting, and for such proceeding, the justice shall be paid by
said owner or agent, fifty cents, to be added to the damage
done to the sheep.
6. The board of supervisors of said county shall allow out
of the fund created by this act, premiums tor the killing of
foxes and wild cats, fix or alter the amounts of such pre-
miums, make regulations for establishing the right thereto,
and for euarding against trauds upon the county, and alter
and rescind such regulations: provided, however, that the
fee for killing a full grown gray or red fox, shall not be less
than the tax imposed upon a male dog, and for the killing of
a full grown wild cat, not less than double that amount.
They shall have discretion to order the payment in whole or
in part of the claims for damages done to sh ep, and pre-
miums for killing foxes and wild cats, according to the
amount of funds collected under this act, and the equitable
right of each applicant. They shall order the payment of
all tee and charges tor enforcing this act; and they shall also
order the payment to the county school hoard, of any surplus
which shall remain of this fund. It shall be the duty of the
attorney for the commonwealth to be present and represent
the interest of the county when claims under this act are
decided,
7. All payments made by the treasurer of said county, of
funds created by this act, shall be on the order of the board
of supervisors, certified by the county clerk.
8. The treasurer of said county shall, annually, at the
meeting of the board of supervisors, make a settlement with
said board, of his management. of this fund, which settlement
shall be recorded by the clerk.
9. The fees of officers employed in the execution of’ this
act, shall be similar to those received for like services in
other cases, and when none are provided by law, the board
of supervisors shall make such compensation as thoy may
deom rivht, all of which shall be paid out of the aforesaid fund.
10. This act shall not effect sections five and six of chap-
ter one bundred and two of the Code of eighteen hundred
and seventy-three.
11. This act shall be in force trom its passage.