HARRY HUGHES, Governor                                         2803

impounded, yarded or confined and continues without necessary
food, water or proper attention, or is cruelly treated or
neglected, any officer or authorized agent of an animal humane
society or any police officer or other public officials charged
with the protection of animals may enter into and upon any place
in which the animal is impounded, yarded or confined and supply
it with necessary food, water and attention so long as it there
remains, or, if necessary, for the health of the animal, may
remove the animal, and not be liable to any action for that
entry. In all cases the owner or custodian of that animal shall
be notified of that action and any administrative remedies which
may be available by the person taking possession of the animal.
The owner or custodian may file within ten days, if no
administrative remedy is available, a petition for return of the
animal in the District Court of the county in which the removal
occurred. If the owner or custodian is notified and fails to
file the petition within the time prescribed, or if the owner or
custodian is unknown and cannot with reasonable effort be
ascertained for a period of 20 days, the animal shall be held to
be an estray and be dealt with as such, provided, however, that
nothing in this section shall be construed as permitting the
entry into a private dwelling or as permitting the taking of a
farm animal without prior recommendation of a licensed
veterinarian. In Baltimore County, the provisions of this
section shall be enforced by the Baltimore County Bureau of
Animal Control.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1984.

Approved May 29, 1984.

CHAPTER 529

(Senate Bill 320)

AN ACT concerning

Child Abuse and Neglect - Visitation and Custody

FOR the purpose of providing that a court may prohibit visitation
or custody if the court has reasonable grounds to believe
that child abuse or neglect has occurred under certain

circumstances; requiring local departments of social

services to make certain reports and conduct certain

investigations under specific circumstances; defining a
certain term; and generally relating to visitation and
custody.

BY renumbering