Any blind, deaf or mobility impaired person who is the owner or keeper of a dog which has been trained and educated to guide and assist such person in traveling upon the public streets or highways or otherwise shall receive a license and tag for such dog from the town clerk of the town where such dog is owned or kept. Such license and tag shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 22-340, and no fee shall be required of the owner or keeper of any such dog. When any such dog has not been previously licensed by the town clerk to whom application is being made, such town clerk shall not license such dog or issue to the owner a license and tag unless written evidence is exhibited to such clerk that the dog is trained and educated and intended in fact to perform such guide service for such applicant. Any person who has a dog placed with such person temporarily, including for breeding purposes, by a nonprofit organization established for the purpose of training or educating guide dogs to so assist blind, deaf or mobility impaired persons shall receive a license and tag for such dog from the town clerk of the town where such dog is kept. Such license and tag shall be issued in accordance with the provisions of section 22-340, and no fee shall be required for such license and tag, provided such person presents written evidence that such dog was placed with such person by such organization. As used in this section and section 46a-44, “deaf person” means a person who cannot readily understand spoken language through hearing alone and who may also have a speech defect which renders such person's speech unintelligible to most people with normal hearing.

(1949 Rev., S. 3391; 1953, S. 1829d; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 16; P.A. 76-49, S. 1; P.A. 85-289, S. 5; P.A. 89-161, S. 5; P.A. 93-435, S. 50, 95; P.A. 01-62, S. 6.)

History: 1963 act removed nominal $0.35 charge for licensing guide dog; P.A. 76-49 defined “deaf person” and made provisions applicable to guide dogs for the deaf; P.A. 85-289 applied provisions of section to mobility impaired persons; P.A. 89-161 added the language pertaining to the placement of dogs between six months and one year by organization which trains guide dogs; P.A. 93-435 made certain technical and grammatical revisions, effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 01-62 deleted provision re dog between the age of six months and one year, exempted dogs placed for breeding purposes from the license and tag fee and made technical changes for purposes of gender neutrality.