Title 20, Title 20: Internal Security and Public Safety

§ 3345. Land or premises of another A person who knowingly permits the person’s cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, or domestic fowls to go upon the lands or premises of another, after the latter has given the owner notice thereof, shall be fined by a law enforcement officer or …

§ 3346. Bulls The owner or keeper of a bull may be fined by a law enforcement officer or by a municipal officer or employee not more than $100.00 nor less than $50.00 if such bull is more than nine months old and found unattended outside the premises owned or occupied by the owne…

§ 3347. Rams (a) Rams shall not be allowed to go at large between August 1 and December 1 in each year. The owner or keeper of a ram shall be liable for damages sustained by a person in consequence of such ram going at large during such time. (b) If during such time a ram is foun…

§ 3348. Marking (a) On or before August 1 in each year, the owner or keeper of a ram shall place on its body in durable and legible characters the initials of his or her name. (b) If a ram is found at large out of the enclosure and possession of its owner or keeper between August…

§ 3349. Stallions (a) An owner or keeper of a stallion, more than one year old, who intentionally or negligently permits the stallion to run at large out of the enclosure of the owner or keeper, shall be fined for each instance not more than $500.00 nor less than $100.00 and shal…

§ 3350. The disposition of feral swine (a) The General Assembly finds that feral swine, as defined in 10 V.S.A. § 4709, have the potential for spreading serious disease to domestic livestock, may cause devastating destruction to natural ecosystems, and pose a threat to human heal…

§ 3381. Maintenance of pounds (a)(1) Each organized town shall maintain as many good and sufficient pounds as it may need for the impounding of animals liable to be impounded. (2) The pound may be kept in an adjacent town if the adjacent town consents and the poundkeeper may be a…

§ 3383. Impounding when no pounds If a town does not have such pound, a person wishing to impound an animal may use his or her barn or some other enclosure for that purpose, notifying the owner of such animal where the same is impounded.

§ 3384. Security to poundkeeper When a person impounds an animal, the poundkeeper may require sufficient security to indemnify him or her for liability for detaining the animal and for supplying it with food and drink while in the pound. If the person so impounding does not furni…

§ 3411. Right to impound A person may impound an animal found in his or her enclosure doing damage.

§ 3412. Poundkeeper’s duties and liabilities The poundkeeper shall supply such animal with food and drink while in the pound, and such keeper shall be liable to pay the owner of such animal damages occasioned by neglecting so to do.

§ 3413. Notice by impounder The person impounding such animal, within 24 hours thereafter, shall give notice thereof to the owner or person having the care of such animal, either personally or by a written notice left at his or her dwelling house. Such notice shall require such o…

§ 3414. Liability for failure to give notice If a person so impounding an animal does not give such notice, he or she shall forfeit to such owner or keeper $0.50 for every 24 hours’ neglect so to do, and shall pay the damages that such owner or keeper sustains in consequence ther…

§ 3415. Appraisers of damages If the owner or keeper appears, he or she may appoint one person and the impounder another to appraise such damage. If such appraisers do not agree, they may appoint a third.

§ 3416. Ascertainment of damages; discharge on payment The appraisers shall ascertain the damages done by the animal, and make a certificate of the amount of damages, and promptly transmit the certificate to the poundkeeper. An impounded animal shall not be discharged until the d…

§ 3417. Application to Superior judge If the owner or keeper of an animal impounded does not appear, or does not appoint an appraiser, or if the appraisers appointed by the parties do not agree upon a third person, the impounder may apply to a Superior judge who by law can judge …

§ 3418. Forfeiture for failure to replevy or redeem If the owner or keeper of an animal impounded does not, within 48 hours after notice of the impoundment pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, either replevy or redeem the animal, he or she shall be liable to the poundkeepe…

§ 3419. Sale of animals If the owner or keeper of an animal impounded does not, within 48 hours after notice thereof, replevy or redeem the same, the impounder may advertise and sell the animal, as provided when the owner is unknown.

§ 3420. Procedure when owner unknown If the owner of an animal taken in an enclosure, doing damage and impounded, is unknown, the impounder shall, within 48 hours, post an advertisement in some public place in the town in which the animal was impounded, and in two adjoining towns…

§ 3421. Payment of damages and charges or sale of animals If the owner, within 30 days after the posting of such advertisement, appears and claims the animal, he or she may receive the same on paying the damages done by it and the charges of impounding, keeping, and advertising. …

§ 3422. Proceeds of sale The avails of the sale shall be applied to the payment of the damages done by the animal, to be ascertained by the fence viewers, and the expense of impounding, keeping, advertising, ascertaining the damages done, town clerk’s fees, and selling the animal…

§ 3423. Record of sale Immediately after the sale, the impounder shall cause a description of the animal, with an account of the associated damages, charges, and expenses pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and the sum for which it was sold, to be recorded in the office o…

§ 3451. Cattle, horses, or swine If a person suffers his or her neat cattle, horses, or swine to run at large on the highways or commons, any person may impound them. The owner shall pay the charges of the impounder and poundkeeper, and the poundkeeper shall not release such anim…

§ 3452. Notice When such animals are impounded, the poundkeeper shall, within 24 hours, post a notice in a public place in the town, describing the animals and stating the time and place of impounding and the time and place of sale.

§ 3453. Sale If the owner of the animals, within 20 days, pays the poundkeeper his or her fees, including his or her reasonable expenses for advertising and the reasonable expense of keeping, with the impounder’s fees, the animals shall be released, otherwise they shall be sold b…

§ 3454. Stallions A stallion found running at large may be impounded. Within 48 hours, the impounder shall notify the owner or keeper thereof. If the owner or keeper does not, within three days after such notice, pay to the impounder such damages as are assessed by three disinter…

§ 3481. Breaking open pound; unlawful release A person who breaks open a pound, or directly or indirectly releases an animal impounded, without authority so to do, shall be fined $25.00 and shall be liable to the person impounding for the damages occasioned thereby.

§ 3482. Escapes and rescues If an animal escapes, or is unlawfully rescued from a pound, such animal may, within five days thereafter, be retaken wherever found and again impounded by the keeper of the pound, or by the person impounding it, and the animal shall be held for the pa…

§ 3483. Hindering retaking A person who hinders or impedes a poundkeeper or impounder in retaking an animal shall be fined $10.00 and shall pay the damages to the person injured.

§ 3484. Taking animal from or impeding impounder A person who rescues an animal from the custody of a person driving or about to drive it to pound, or resists him or her in so doing, shall be fined $10.00 and shall pay the damages to the person injured.

§ 3485. Limitation of prosecution Prosecutions under the provisions of this subchapter shall be commenced within one year after the commission of the offense, and not after.

§ 3511. Abandoned animals; definition An animal shall be deemed to be abandoned when it is placed in the custody of a veterinarian, veterinary hospital, boarding kennel, stable, or other person or establishment for treatment, board, or care, and: (1) having been placed in custody…

§ 3512. Waiver of lien The giving of notice as prescribed in section 3511 of this title shall be deemed a waiver of any lien on the animal for the treatment, board, or care of the animal but shall not relieve the owner of the animal of his or her contractual liability for the tre…

§ 3513. Disposal of abandoned animals Any person having in his or her care, custody, or control any abandoned animal as defined in section 3511 of this title may deliver the animal to any humane society or society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, or in the case of dogs, …