Sec. 1.

From and after the first day of January, 1940, any person may have any dog tattooed with a registration number, as hereinafter provided. The owner of any such dog shall apply to the commissioner of agriculture, on blanks furnished by such commissioner, for the registration of any such dog. Upon satisfying the commissioner of agriculture that the applicant is the owner of such dog, the commissioner of agriculture shall assign a specific number (which shall not permit duplication) of the ownership of such dog, such number to be tattooed on and through the ear of the animal and on the inside and through the skin of a rear leg,—such tattooing to be done by such persons as shall be designated by the commissioner of agriculture, and shall be made by the use of permanent tattoo ink, such person so tattooing any dog to receive such fee therefor as shall be designated by the commissioner of agriculture. The application for registration shall be accompanied by a fee of $1.00.

Sec. 2.

The specific number of ownership assigned to such dog shall constitute a title to the owner of such dog and upon the sale of such dog by such owner he shall make an assignment of title and the purchaser shall immediately cause such assignment to be transmitted to the commissioner of agriculture, who shall issue a title in the name of the purchaser of such assignment, to be accompanied by a fee of $1.00.

Sec. 3.

Upon the registration or assignment of title the commissioner of agriculture shall issue to the owner of such dog an identification certificate.

Sec. 4.

It shall be the duty of the commissioner of agriculture to keep a permanent record of the name and address of the owner of every dog so registered, the title number, name, breed, sex and color of each dog so registered, and furnish any law-enforcing agency a true copy of such records upon request.

Sec. 5.

Any person finding a dog registered under the provisions of this act shall be entitled to the sum of 25 cents per day for boarding such dog, such board to be paid by the owner. The commissioner of agriculture shall furnish such finder with the name and address of the owner, upon request.

Sec. 6.

All fees received by the department of agriculture under the provisions of this act for the registration or assignment of titles of such dogs shall be paid to the commissioner of agriculture and by the commissioner of agriculture turned into the state treasury and any accumulated balance as of June 30, 1949, shall be credited to the general fund.

Sec. 7.

No person, corporation, club or organization shall tattoo any number over or upon the number tattooed on any dog by the authorized agent of the commissioner of agriculture so as to deface the same and prevent identification by the owner of such dog, nor shall such person, corporation, club or organization duplicate any number used by the commissioner of agriculture. Upon proof of such mutilation of such number, such person, corporation, club or organization shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished in accordance with the laws of the state.

Sec. 8.

Any person who shall steal or take without the consent of the owner and without lawful authority, any dog registered under the provisions of this act, or any person excepting dog wardens who shall harbor or hold in his possession any stray dog of which he is not the owner and does not report such possession to the sheriff of the county or the police department of the city in which he is holding such dog within 48 hours after such person came in possession of said dog, where the value of such dog shall not be in excess of $100.00, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and where the value of such dog shall be in excess of $100.00, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00, or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than 1 year, or both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.