THEODORE R. MCKELDIN, GOVERNOR 2103

Therefore, I am returning House Bill No. 579 without my
approval.

Respectfully,

THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor

TRMcK/jmt

May 7, 1951

Hon. John C. Luber
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

House Bill No. 648, which relates to fees for dog licenses and
modifies the penalty provisions relative to delinquent payments
in Anne Arundel County, is being returned for the following
reasons:

The present Anne Arundel County Dog Law is in the nature
of a regulation to police dogs that are a potential danger in
the communities and therefore the cost of licenses should be
set in proportion to the trouble of policing these animals.

It is a firmly established policy that a female license should
be at least double that of a male or spayed female, as such
a ratio serves to encourage the owning of male or spayed female
pets, rather than females, but that incentive is lost when the
difference in cost of a license is only 50 cents, Anne Arundel
County's present differential of $2. 00 and |4. 00 has helped to
increase the number of spayed females from 474 in 1946 to
994 in 1950, and this has helped to reduce the number of un-
wanted mongrels that become strays and destroy property.
The annual loss of such property in Anne Arundel County has
been reduced from $1, 842. 67 in 1946 to $782. 92 in 1950. Also,
the placing of a maximum penalty of $3. 00 for delinquency in
buying a license after the maximum of $3. 00 is reached by a
delinquent, leaves no incentive for the owner to buy a license
unless and until he is discovered and forced to comply with
the law.

For these reasons, and at the request of the County Com-
missioners of Anne Arundel County, I am returning the Bill
without my approval.

Respectfully,

THEODORE R. MCKELDIN,

Governor

TRMcK/jmt