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DOG OFFICERS. 



General Acts, Chapter 271. 

 An Act relative to the appointment of certain dog officers by 



COUNTY commissioners. 



Be it enacted, etc., as follows: 



Section 1. Section one hundred and fifty-five of chapter one hundred 

 and two of the Revised Laws, as amended by section one of chapter 

 one hundred and forty-two of the acts of nineteen hundred and four, 

 by chapter two hundred and forty-one of the acts of nineteen hundred 

 and seven, and by section one of chapter three hundred and ninety-two 

 of the acts of nineteen hundred and ten, is hereby further amended by 

 striking out the said section and substituting the following: — Section 155. 

 The county commissioners, except in the county of Suffolk, shall appoint 

 one and may appoint not more than four suitable persons, all residents 

 of the county, any one of whom shall, at the request of said cormnis- 

 sioners, or of the chairman of the selectmen of a town or officer of the 

 police designated as provided in section one hundred and fifty-one, in- 

 vestigate any case of damages done by a dog of which the commission- 

 ers, chairman or officer shall have been informed as provided in said 

 section, and if he believes that the evidence is sufficient to sustain an 

 action against the owner or keeper of the dog as provided in section one 

 hundred and sixty-two and believes that such owner or keeper is able to 

 satisfy any judgment which may be recovered in such action, he shall, 

 unless the owner or keeper before action brought pays him such amount 

 in settlement of the damage as he deems reasonable, bring the action. It 

 may be brought in his own name and in the county in which he resides, 

 and he shall prosecute it. Said ofiicers shall also have throughout their 

 respective counties the same powers and authority as police officers or 

 constables acting under the provisions of section one hundred and forty- 

 three. All damages received or recovered under this section shall be paid 

 over to the county treasurer and placed to the credit of the dog fund. 

 The county treasurer shall pay out of the dog fund such reasonable com- 

 pensation as the county commissioners shall allow for services and neces- 

 sary expenses under this section and the reasonable expense of prosecuting 

 the said actions. The person or persons appointed hereunder may be 

 removed at any time by the county commissioners, and in counties in 

 which they are appointed the county treasurer shall not be authorized 

 to bring the said actions. 



Section 2. This act shall take effect upon its passage. [Approved 

 May 31, 1918. 



