Pennsylvania § 2944 - Field dog trials for retrievers.

§ 2944. Field dog trials for retrievers.

(a) Authorization.--It is lawful to hold field meets or trials for retrieving dogs, where the skill of the dogs is demonstrated by retrieving dead, wounded or trussed game birds, which have been propagated or otherwise legally acquired and released on the day of the trials, on premises owned or controlled by the club or individual conducting them at any time of the year after having secured a permit required under this section.

(b) Permit.--Permits shall be required for all retriever trials where game birds are shot and killed and for all other trials held during the closed period for training dogs.

(c) Permission to kill birds.--The permits shall authorize the holders to kill all of the birds released by the permittee on the day of the trials or from the hand while the trials are in progress.

(d) Official gun.--The person or persons designated by the committee in charge to do the shooting for the trials shall be known as the official gun or guns. No other person shall be permitted to kill, or attempt to kill, any of the birds released for the trials. Birds so released may be killed during the closed period without regard to sex or numbers.

(e) Tagging of game birds.--Before any game birds are released or killed under this section or consumed on the premises or removed therefrom, a tag shall be attached to each bird. The tags shall be numbered consecutively and supplied by the commission at reasonable cost and shall contain such information as the commission may require. The tags shall remain attached to the individual birds until prepared for consumption and shall not be used more than once.

(f) Shooting untagged birds.--Any untagged birds which are shot or injured shall immediately be delivered to an officer of the commission for disposition along with the sum of $50 for each untagged bird killed. This money shall be deposited in the Game Fund.

(g) Unlawful acts.--It is unlawful to:

(1) Aid, abet, assist or participate in any trial for dogs without a permit as required in this section.

(2) Aid, abet, assist or participate in any retriever field trial in violation of any other provisions of this section.

(h) Penalty.--A violation of this section is a summary offense of the fifth degree.