[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Health
of the Town of Middleton. Amendments noted where applicable.]
No individual or individuals, partnership, company
or corporation shall keep a pig or swine within the limits of this
municipality without first obtaining a permit from the Board of Health.
All such permits shall expire on December 31 of each year unless sooner
revoked. Any permit may be revoked at any time by the Board of Health
for cause.
A license to transport garbage, offal or other
offensive substance along the public highways of this municipality
must be obtained from the Board of Health in accordance with MGL c.
111, § 31A, and no such materials shall be so transported
without such a license. All licenses shall expire on December 31.
Any license may be revoked at any time by the Board of Health for
cause. Garbage and other offensive material shall be transported only
in watertight vehicles or containers and shall be securely covered
with wood, iron or canvas cover while the vehicles are in motion.
A.
All piggeries shall be suitably isolated and maintained
in such a manner that no nuisance shall be created thereby. No pen
or enclosure shall be located within 150 feet of any public way.
B.
All piggeries will be examined frequently by a representative
of the Board of Health, who will make such recommendations to the
owner as are necessary to maintain the piggery in a proper condition.
C.
Properly ventilated buildings of substantial construction,
preferably painted white or whitewashed, well lighted, and so designed
that accumulation of offensive material can be readily removed, shall
be provided. For indoor pens, watertight troughs of cement or metal
kept in good repair shall be provided for feeding purposes, and these
troughs must be thoroughly cleaned every day.
D.
All buildings used for the housing of swine shall
be kept in a clean and satisfactory condition. Brood houses shall
be cleaned daily.
E.
If outdoor pens or runs are provided, the swine shall
be fed from platforms built of heavy, watertight material flat on
the ground or on skids one foot above the ground so arranged that
the platform can be readily moved and the ground at the earlier location
ploughed in. If the feeding platform is elevated, the space between
the ground and platform shall be kept clear and clean, and no food
shall be allowed to accumulate about the platform or on the ground.
F.
A bin for receiving garbage shall be provided, which
shall be covered during warm weather.
G.
Garbage cans, wagons and trucks shall be thoroughly
cleaned after the garbage has been removed therefrom.
H.
Manure and refuse in outdoor pens shall be cleaned
out at least twice weekly and must either be removed from the premises
immediately or must be so kept that it will not constitute a nuisance
and so that the pigs will not have access to it.
I.
If uneaten garbage, manure and refuse are collected
in compost piles, they shall be treated or covered with earth, loam
or other suitable material in sufficient amounts to climate any odor
or nuisance. All such piles shall be at least 500 feet from any highway
or dwelling. No garbage, manure or putrescible matter whatsoever shall,
except in the cultivation and use of soil in ordinary methods of agriculture,
be put upon the ground within 250 feet of the high-water mark of any
source of water supply or within 250 feet of the high-water mark of
any open waters flowing directly or ultimately into said source of
water supply. In addition, during the fly-breeding seasons, they shall
be sprayed daily with some suitable coal-tar compound or other satisfactory
insecticide.
J.
Manure shall be spread upon the land only when such
land is in condition to plough, and any manure so spread shall be
ploughed under within 48 hours.
K.
Wet muck in outdoor pens shall be removed and replaced
with clean sand.
L.
A water supply adequate for cleaning purposes shall
be provided.
M.
No pigs shall be kept within 50 feet of any room where
milk is handled. No person who handles milk shall assist in the maintenance
of pigs or the cleaning of pens.
N.
Adequate personnel shall be employed at all times
for the proper maintenance and operation of the piggery.
O.
No piggery shall be located, constructed or maintained
any part of which is within 250 feet of the high-water mark of any
source of drinking water supply or any tributary thereof or within
250 feet of high-water mark of any open waters flowing directly or
ultimately into any source of water supply.
[Adopted 4-5-2006]
The Animal Control Officer (hereinafter called
"ACO") is authorized to require all dogs in the Town of Middleton
to be licensed in accordance with MGL c 140, § 137. The
ACO is authorized to require all Middleton dogs and cats to be vaccinated
against rabies by a licensed veterinarian and to require their owners
or keepers to retain proof of said vaccination supplied by a veterinarian.
Whosoever violates the provisions of this section shall be subject
to a fine in accordance with MGL c 140, § 173, of $50.
The Animal Control Officer is authorized to
require owners or keepers of dogs to keep such dogs from becoming
a public nuisance. The ACO is further authorized to require owners
or keepers of dogs to restrain their dogs from running at large or
loose. The ACO is required to enforce this requirement with uniformity.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A dog which is off the property of its owner or keeper and
is:
Animal behavior which constitutes a nuisance includes but
is not limited to the following: molesting a passerby or passing vehicles
(including bicycles), attacking persons or domestic animals, trespassing
on public or private property or damaging public or private property,
and barking, whining or howling in an excessive, continuous or untimely
fashion.
B.
Domestic animal killing another domestic animal:
(1)
First offense: punishable by a fine of $10. A public
hearing shall be held by the Board of Selectmen on each complaint.
(2)
Second offense: punishable by the maximum fine permissible
per MGL c. 140, § 173, $50, and destruction of the dog or
placement with another owner. A public hearing shall be held by the
Board of Selectmen on each complaint.
