Chief’s Column: Restrain your dogs!
The department has received several dog related calls lately including barking dogs and unrestrained dogs roaming the streets. In many cases, we found it difficult to identify the dog’s owner because it has no license or tags.
Dog owners are reminded that the Town has specific by-laws addressing the licensing and restraining of dogs as well as other dog owner responsibilities. The following is a quick summary of Article 16 of the Town’s General By-laws. More details may be found on the Town’s web site at www.grafton-ma.gov/town-administrator/pages/town-grafton-general-laws
DOG LICENSES & FEES: The annual fee for every dog license, except as otherwise provided by law, shall be $15.00 for a male dog, and $15.00 for a female dog and $10.00 for a spayed or neutered dog. All the dogs in the Town of Grafton shall be licensed by April 1, of each year. An additional fee of Five Dollars ($5.00) shall be charged to each owner or keeper of a dog three months old or over who fails to license said dog on or before June 1 of any year. No fee shall be charged for a license for a dog specially trained to lead or serve a blind person provided that the Division of the Blind certifies that such dog is so trained and actually in the service of a blind person. All owners must submit a certificate of vaccination for rabies to the Town Clerk on issuance of a license.
UNRESTRAINED DOGS: No person owning or keeping a dog in the Town shall allow such dog to roam at large upon the land of another, nor allow such dog to roam at large on any portion of any public highway. Unless on property so designated by the Town such owner or keeper of a dog in the Town which is not on the premises of the owner or upon the premises of another person with the knowledge and permission of such person shall restrain such dog by a chain or leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length. This does not prohibit the use of hunting dogs during the open hunting season or for field training.
COMPLAINT OF NUISANCE: If any person makes a complaint in writing to the Dog Officer that any dog is a public nuisance by reason of vicious disposition or excessive barking or other disturbance, the Dog Officer shall investigate and submit a written report to the Selectmen with his findings and recommendations, together with the written complaint. The Selectmen may make an order concerning the restraint, muzzling or disposal of such dog as may be deemed necessary. The Dog Officer, after investigation, may issue an interim order that such dog be restrained or muzzled for a period not to exceed fourteen days to enable the Selectmen to issue their order following receipt of the report of the Dog Officer.
RESTRAIN OR MUZZLE: The Dog Officer may restrain or muzzle, or issue an interim order to restrain or muzzle, for a period not to exceed fourteen days, any dog for any of the following reasons:
- If found at-large or unmuzzled, as the case may be, while an order for the restraint of such dog is in effect;
- For having bitten any person;
- If found in a school, school yard or public recreational area not so designated for off-leash dogs
- For having killed or maimed or otherwise damaged any other domesticated animal, including livestock and fowl
- For chasing any vehicle, horse and rider, pedestrian and bicycle upon a public way or ways open to public travel in the Town; or Any owner or keeper of a dog who shall fail to comply with any order of the Dog Officer or Selectmen issued pursuant to this Article shall be punishable by a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00), with a right of appeal to the District Court pursuant to MGL Chapter 140, Section 157.
ENFORCEMENT: The Dog Officer shall enforce the provisions of this By-Law and to that end she shall have the authority to seek complaints in the District Court for violations thereof. He shall investigate complaints of alleged violations of this By-Law. He shall also apprehend any dog found by him to be a public nuisance and impound such dog in a suitable place or order the owner or keeper thereof to restrain it.
PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS: Whoever violates any provision of this By-Law may be penalized by a noncriminal disposition as provided in General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 21D. For the purposes of this By-Law, the Dog Officer and all Town Police Officers, shall be the designated enforcing persons. Each day on which any violation of this By-Law occurs shall be deemed to be a separate offense subject to the following penalties:
First Offense………………………………………$10.00
Second Offense ………………………………….$25.00
Each Subsequent Offense ……………………$50.00
Normand A. Crepeau, Jr. Chief of Police
Like Grafton Common? Help support us on Ko-fi.
