It is unlawful to permit or allow any dog to pursue any big game mammal during the closed season on such mammal, to pursue any fully protected, rare, or endangered mammal at any time, or to pursue any mammal in a game refuge or ecological reserve if hunting within such refuge or ecological reserve is unlawful.
Employees of the department may capture any dog not under the reasonable control of its owner or handler, when such uncontrolled dog is pursuing, in violation of this section, any big game, fully protected, rare, or endangered mammal.
Employees of the department may capture or dispatch any dog inflicting injury or immediately threatening to inflict injury to any big game mammal during the closed season on such mammal, and they may capture or dispatch any dog inflicting injury or immediately threatening to inflict injury on any fully protected, rare, or endangered mammal at any time.
Employees of the department may capture or dispatch any dog inflicting injury or immediately threatening to inflict injury to any mammal in a game refuge or ecological reserve if hunting within such refuge or ecological reserve is unlawful.
No criminal or civil liability shall accrue to any department employee as a result of enforcement of this section. For the purpose of this section, “pursue” means pursue, run, or chase.
Owners of dogs with identification, that have been captured or dispatched, shall be notified within 72 hours after capture or dispatch.