KRS 376.400: Lien of keeper of livery stable or agister for care of livestock -- Sale of

livestock cared for -- Conditions.

(1) Any owner or keeper of a livery stable or other business providing for the care of

animals, and a person feeding, grazing, or caring for any animal for compensation,

shall, except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, have a lien for one (1)

year upon the animal placed in the stable, kennel, or similar facility, or put out to be

fed or grazed by the owner, for his or her reasonable charges for keeping, caring for,

feeding, and grazing the animal. The lien shall attach whether the animal is merely

temporarily lodged, fed, grazed, and cared for, or is placed at the stable or other

place or pasture for regular board. The lien shall ta ke priority over a lien created

pursuant to KRS 376.420(1).

(2) Any person who has agreed to provide feed or care for an animal for compensation

may, in lieu of the lien provided for in subsection (1) of this section, cause the

animal to be sold if:

(a) The owner of the animal is at least forty -five (45) days in arrears on his or her

payment for the care and feeding of the animal, and the animal is in the

possession of the person or business providing for the care of the animal;

(b) The proposed sale is pub lished in one (1) or more newspapers and qualified

pursuant to KRS Chapter 424, with a publication area in the locale where the

person providing care for the animal is located and the locale where the owner

of the animal was last known to reside; and

(c) Written notice of the sale is sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or

registered mail, to the owner of the animal, addressed to such person at his or

her last known address, and to all lien holders of record with the Kentucky

Secretary of State and the local county clerk's office, at least ten (10) days

before the sale is conducted. The written notice shall include:

1. The amount due the person or business providing care for the animal;

2. The date, time, and location of the sale; and

3. A state ment that the sale proceeds shall be disbursed as provided in

subsection (3) of this section.

(3) If a sale is conducted as provided in subsection (2) of this section, the proceeds of

the sale shall be disbursed in the following order:

(a) Payment for costs associated with the sale;

(b) Payment of amounts due to the person or business providing for the care and

feeding of the animal;

(c) Payment to lien holders and creditors pursuant to a court order; and

(d) The remainder, if any, held for the owner for a period of twelve (12) months

and, if not claimed at that time, then paid into the district school fund.