Published: 2/8/2023 11:10:24 AM
Modified: 2/8/2023 11:10:05 AM
Jax, a brindle pit bull mix owned by N Street citizen Nicholas Pratt, had actually been stated “both a nuisance and a dangerous dog” in May 2022 after the Selectboard discovered it had “escaped from its enclosure on numerous occasions,” assaulted a guy with a child on the street, barked exceedingly, was unlicensed and was not immunized versus rabies. Since signing a compliance contract with the Montague Police Department that described 8 conditions on June 2, the contract was breached on a number of events, according to Animal Control Officer Calin Giurgiu.
Conditions breached by Pratt, Giurgiu said, consisted of having Jax muzzled, having him bound by a run in the lawn and needing to repair a damaged fence confining the lawn.
Photos of Jax unmuzzled and untethered in the lawn were contributed by next-door neighbor Christopher Brown, who said his pictures were taken simply after Pratt got his order in May. Brown included that in the time given that, he had actually never ever seen Jax muzzled or bound to the run. Additionally, current pictures supplied by Giurgiu revealed a damaged fence.
“I tried to work with Nicholas Pratt,” Giurgiu informed the board. “I gave him a lot of breaks and a lot of time to do the fence. He had the whole summer. Probably was busy, but that’s not an excuse.”
Giurgiu included that Pratt “refused to talk” when he knocked on the door, regardless of relatively being home.
“When I approach the door, I could see the dog inside,” Giurgiu kept in mind. “He’s aggressive the way he is. I back off because I don’t want the dog to damage the door. No one came to the door to talk to me.”
Pratt, who concurred with the Selectboard’s choice to euthanize Jax, took responsibility for breaking the board’s orders. Between the muzzle stopping working to remain fastened and his elderly mom not keeping in mind to effectively limit Jax when she took care of him, satisfying the conditions state was a difficulty, he said.
Jax “actually has gotten even more aggressive,” even towards Pratt himself, the owner informed the Selectboard.
“I have tried to work with him and I even brought him to a doggie day care type of thing and people won’t even work with him,” Pratt included. “I believe it would be better if he was just put down. I don’t know what else to do or say, and I apologize to everyone who’s been scared. I just think it’s better if he’s euthanized, to tell you the truth.”
Pratt, Giurgiu and the Selectboard consented to have Jax euthanized within 24 hr of Monday night’s hearing, which concluded in around half an hour.
Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or [email protected].
