The city of Barnstable is proposing a number of modifications in dog control regulationstogether with new dates for walking dogs on designated seashores, new laws for homeowners with a number of dogs, new penalties for nuisance and barking dogs and price and licensing date modifications.
The laws have been devised over a number of months by Nina Coleman, director of Natural Resources and Sandy Necktogether with Senior Animal Control Officer Charlie Lewis, who reviewed the modifications with a number of city departments, together with the Board of Health twice, and held a listening to on Oct. 18 with Derek Lawson, the director of the city’s marine and environmental affairs. No public members have been current on the listening to. The 30-day interval for residents to make feedback on the proposals ends Friday.
Town Manager Mark Ells will evaluate a draft of the brand new laws and they are going to be enforce Jan. 1. No additional evaluate is required for city laws.
Dog laws have not been up to date in years, Barnstable official says
“Our regulations haven’t been updated for many, many years,” Coleman stated. “I felt we needed more clarity on the rules.”
For instance, the present seaside laws say solely that dogs can’t be walked “on town beach or recreation areas from May 15 to Sept. 15,” however don’t specify which seashores or recreation areas, she stated. The new guidelines specify the foundations pertain solely to “saltwater designated bathing beaches” from April 1 to Sept. 15.
That proposed change has prompted questions from canine homeowners.
“Who swims on April 1?” stated Toby Gould of Hyannis, who walks his canine on Keyes Beach from Sept. 15 to May 15.
In an e-mail to Coleman, Ian Kerwin of Cotuit stated the proposed prohibition of dogs from saltwater seashores is unfair to canine homeowners :looking for to make use of public lands at a time when site visitors and visitation stays very low.”
A have to receive permits from a state company
“The state is pushing us to change to April 1,” Coleman stated, as a result of most of these seashores have endangered species and the city desires to acquire permits for them from the state Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program. The designated bathing seashores which have lifeguards are Dowses, Kalmus, Craigville, Covell, Veterans Park, Eugenia Fortes, Keyes Memorial, Loop, Millway and Sandy Neck (public seaside solely).
“All other saltwater beaches would be at the discretion of the department that oversees said area,” Coleman stated on her division’s web site. “We hope that through this change we can create a few saltwater (and freshwater) beaches that dogs are allowed year-round.”
The new laws additionally designate three freshwater bathing seashores with lifeguards that may prohibit canine walking from May 15 to Sept. 15. Those seashores are Joshua Pond, Hathaway’s Pond and Lovells Pond.
The recreation areas that prohibit dogs on a regular basis are spelled out within the new laws as “town-owned athletic fields, athletic courts, cemeteries and playgrounds.” Town officers who management different public areas may prohibit dogs underneath the brand new laws. Penalties for any violation within the seaside and recreation areas will carry a superb of $25 for first offense and $50 for subsequent offenses.
Dog breeders in non-public residences would have new limits, in new laws
Another new requirement for a number of canine licenses that pertain to non-public residences with greater than three dogs has additionally prompted questions, Coleman stated. The laws apply to people who find themselves breeding dogs for present or sport. They will likely be restricted to 6 dogs over six months old and so they might solely promote two or fewer litters per yr.
Separate kennel licenses will likely be required for businesses with 4 or extra dogs as an alternative of the present choice of individual licenses. The annual kennel licenses will improve from $50 to $100.
All canine licenses underneath the brand new laws will likely be issued yearly from Jan. 1 by way of Dec. 31, a change from July 1 to June 30. Coleman stated that will likely be constant will the dates for all different permits her division points.
Dog restraint can be spelled out: leash or chain
The new guidelines underneath restraining dogs from “by a suitable means” would change to “a leash or chain that must be secured and under control by a human at all times.” The removing of canine waste can also be spelled out extra particularly for homeowners.
Complaint investigations will now decide whether or not a canine is a nuisance by cause of “excessive barking or other disturbance or may have dangerous disposition.” The superb for that offense would improve from $100 to $200. Barking canine complaints are frequent, Coleman stated.
The Barnstable Dog Park laws will stay the identical, apart from an elevated superb for parking not associated to the park use. Trained service dogs are allowed in all public locations underneath the federal Americans with Disabilities Act with no price, however emotional help dogs wouldn’t qualify for the exemption underneath the brand new guidelines.
The city animal management division desires the brand new laws to be “a basis for an education campaign,” Lewis stated on the listening to.
If the city desires higher compliance, then “we’d like higher laws and outreach,” Coleman stated.
To learn the proposed modifications, take heed to the listening to or make feedback, go to the city’s e-newsletter at barnstablenews.com or for questions, contact Town Manager Ells at [email protected] or Coleman at 508-362-8300 or 508-790-6272 till Friday.
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