Chap. 1043.—An ACT for the protection of sheep in Warren county, by a tax
on dogs.

Approved March 7, 1900.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall
be the duty of the commissioner of the revenue for the county of
Warren, to take annually, at the time of listing the property, a list of
all dogs within such districts of said county as mav hereafter adopt this
act, as hereinafter provided, showing whether male or female, with the
name of the owner or person in whose possession they are found. The
commissioner shall require the owner or householder, or head of the
farnilv, with whom, or on whose lot, plantation or premises, anv dog
or dogs may be found, to make oath or affirmation as to the number
of dogs sich person may own or have, or as may be kept thereon, and
an accurate list of such dogs shall be returned to the clerk’s otliee, and
a copy of said list shall be posted at all the voting precincts in said
district. Any commigsioner failing herein shall be subject to the same
fines, penalties, and forfeitures which he would incur under existing
laws for neglect of any of his duties in listing and returning list of
personal property.

2. The household or head of a family upon whose lot, plantation or
premises, any dog shall be usually kept or stay, shall be deemed to be
the owner of such dog, and the same is to be so listed and licensed as
hereinafter required, but the commissioner of the revenue shall have
authority at any time before returning said list to correct any error
therein which may be made to appear by satisfactory evidence.

3. Upon the complaint of any person in any district in said county
that has duly adopted the provisions of this act, to a justice of the peace
of said district, that there is a dog kept or staying about the premises
of any person that is not listed, but which ought to have been listed,
the justice shall summon such person and the commissioner of the
revenue to appear before him, and shall hear and decide the case; and
if the complaint be found to be true, the commissioner shall thereupon
list said dog, and if the owner fail to pay the tax imposed by the next
section, and the cost of such complaint within ten days, he or she shall
be fined two dollars and cost. In any case where the owner of a dog is
delinquent in the payment of the tax or license on the same, or any
fine arising from a non-compliance with this act, it shall be the duty
of the constable of said district to kill said dog, for which he shall, upon
proof of the same, receive a fee of one dollar, to be paid out of the fund
hereinafter provided, and to that end the constable shall obtain a hist
from the county treasurer of all such delinquents in his district, and in
thirty days discharge his duty in this behalf, and on failure so to do,
he shall be fined by any justice of the peace in his district one dollar
for each day he so fails to kill.

4. When said commissioner of the revenue ascertains the number
of dogs in his district, he shall assess a license tax of twenty-five cents
per head on all male dogs,and on every slut or female dog fifty cents shall
be assessed for the privilege of keeping the same, and said sums so
assessed shall be collected and accounted for by the county treasurer
of Warren county as county levies are by law directed to be collected
and accounted for, and the treasurer shall keep a separate account of
the funds arising from said licenses, and the fines and penalties resulting
from the execution of this act. The said fund shall be appropriated—
first, to the fees, charges, and other expenses incurred in enforcing this
act; and secondly, for remunerating the owners of sheep in said district
for any loss they may sustain by the killing or crippling of their sheep
hy dogs, when ascertained, as hereinafter provided for.

5. Tt shall be the duty of anv justice of the peace in anv district in
Warren county that has adopted this act. on complaint under oath of
any owner of sheep in said district, or his agent, that his sheep have
been killed or severely wounded by dogs (not his own) in said district,
to issue a summons to three freeholders of his neighborhood, any two
of whom may act, who, being duly sworn, shall go forthwith on the
premises where such sheep mav be, and examine the same, if practicable,
and inquire into the facts and justice of the claim, and appraise the
damages sustained by the owner, such appraisement not to exceed the
amount per head at which such sheep were assessed by the conmissione
of the revenue, and when the sheep were acquired after the assessments
at an amount not exceeding their true value. Said frecholders shal
return a certificate of all the facts, and their assessment of damages, 1
any, to the owner or his agent, who may present it to the board of super
visors at their next meeting.

6. Should there remain a balance of said fund in the hands of th
treasurer after the payments aforesaid are made, the same shall be re
tained by him, and at the expiration of his office turned over to hi
successor, and shall enter into and be credited to the fund of the nex
year. Should the amount in any vear be not sufficient to pay all th
losses of sheep for the year, it shall be apportioned ratably thereto.

7. All claims arising under the fifth section of this act shall b
audited by the board of supervisors, and all payments shall he on thy
order or warrant of the board, signed by the chairman and certificc
by the clerk of the board.

8. The treasurer shall annually, at the vearly mecting of the boarc
of supervisors, make a settlement with said board of his account witl
the fund created by this act.

The fees of the officers employed in the execution of this ae
shail be the same as those received for services in like cases, and wher
none are provided by law the board of supervisors shall make such com:
pensation as they may deem right, all of which shall be paid out of the
aforesaid fund.

10. If the county of Warren, or anv district in said county, has now
or may hereafter have, any fund out of which either the county o
district pays a premium on scalps, damages for sheep, then the whole
of said funds and the fund arising from ‘the license on dogs, as hereir
required, shall be applied, first, to the payment of fees, charges, anc
other expenses incurred in enforeing this act, and secondly, to. re.
munerating the owners of sheep killed or wounded, and the killing and
wounding proved as aforesaid.

11. The board of supervisors of Warren county may. upon a petition
of one-fourth of the electors voting at the next preceding election in
each district of said county, adopt this act for said county, or for such
districts thereof as shall petition therefor as aforesaid.

12. All acts and parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby
repealed.

13. This act shall be in force from its passage.