HOUSE BILL No. 5231

 

September 27, 2005, Introduced by Rep. Caswell and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 

     A bill to amend 1919 PA 339, entitled

 

"Dog law of 1919,"

 

by amending section 26a (MCL 287.286a).

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 26a. (1) A district court magistrate,  or the district or

 

common pleas  district court, or municipal court shall issue a

 

summons similar to the summons provided for in section 20 to the

 

owner of a dog to show cause why  a  the dog should not be killed,

 

upon a sworn complaint that any of the following exist:

 

     (a) After January 10 and before June 15 in each year, a dog

 

over 6 months old is running at large unaccompanied by its owner or

 

is engaged in lawful hunting and is not under the reasonable


 

control of its owner without a license attached to the collar of

 

the dog.

 

     (b) A dog, licensed or unlicensed, has destroyed property or

 

habitually causes damage by trespassing on the property of a person

 

who is not the owner.

 

     (c) A dog, licensed or unlicensed, has attacked or bitten a

 

person.

 

     (d) A dog has shown vicious habits or has molested a person

 

when lawfully on the public highway.

 

     (e) A dog duly licensed and wearing a license tag has run at

 

large contrary to this act.

 

     (f) A dog, licensed or unlicensed, has attacked and killed a

 

domestic animal.

 

     (2) After a hearing, the district court magistrate,  or the

 

district or common pleas  district court, or municipal court may  

 

either  order the dog either killed  ,  or confined to the premises

 

of the owner. If the owner disobeys this order, the owner may be

 

punished under section 26. Costs  as in a civil case  shall be  

 

taxed  assessed against the owner of the dog  ,  and collected by

 

the county. The county board of commissioners shall audit and pay

 

claims for services of officers rendered pursuant to this section,

 

unless the claims are paid by the owner of the dog.