[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Saugerties
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 7-16-1984 by L.L. No. 1-1984
as Ch. 53, Art. I, of the 1984 Code]
The purpose of this article shall be to preserve the public peace and
good order in the Village of Saugerties and to contribute to the public welfare
and preservation and protection of the person and the property of the inhabitants
by declaring and enforcing certain regulations and restrictions on the activities
of dogs within the Village limits.
As used in this article, unless the context otherwise indicates, the
following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AT LARGE
Other than on the premises of the owner or on the premises of another
person, without the knowledge, consent and approval of said other person.
DOG
Both male and female dogs, both licensed and unlicensed.
OWNER
Any person, firm, association or corporation owning, harboring, keeping
or having custody or control of any dog.
A. No person owning, harboring or having the custody, care
or charge of any dog, whether male or female, licensed or unlicensed, shall
allow or permit such dog at any time to run at large within the corporate
limits of the Village of Saugerties unless such dog shall be effectively restrained
by a chain or leash not exceeding eight feet in length by a competent person.
B. No owner of a dog or duly approved kennel within the
Village limits shall permit any dog or dogs to create any unreasonably loud
or disturbing noise of such an intensity and duration as to be detrimental
to the life, health or welfare of any individual, and the violation hereof
is prohibited and deemed to be a public nuisance and such dog or dogs so housed
and confined in a place so constructed as to prevent such disturbing and unnecessary
noise as may result from the habitual or continual barking of such dog or
dogs. The provisions of this section shall be liberally construed to prevent
excessive, unreasonable, disturbing and unnecessary noise, due consideration
being given to the circumstance, time of day or night, particular location
of each violation and the demands of the public health, safety and welfare.
C. No owner shall suffer, allow or permit any dog to soil,
defecate or deposit any droppings or fecal matter on any public road, street,
highway or sidewalk or area adjacent thereto or upon any public grounds or
parks or any private property without the permission of the owner of that
property, unless such person shall make a reasonable effort to immediately
clean and remove such droppings and fecal matter in good faith and so as to
prevent such soiling action, which soiling action is declared to be a public
nuisance detrimental to public health. Such soiling action shall be deemed
prevented if such owner shall immediately clean up all such fecal matter by
causing them to be gathered in a simple bag, wrapper or other container and
deposed of in a safe and sanitary manner.
[Added 2-6-1989 by L.L. No. 1-1989]
Any dog running at large within the Village of Saugerties contrary to the provisions of §
66-3 of this article shall be subject to seizure and impounding by the Dog Control Officer, any police officer or by any other person or agency designated by the Village or authorized by law to seize and impound such dog, and any such Dog Control Officer, police officer or other person or agency so seizing such dog hereunder shall be empowered to exercise such degree of force as shall be necessary to effect such seizure without intentionally injuring or harming such dog.
After any such seizure or impounding, a record owner of such dog or
an adult member of his family, if the owner is ascertainable from the dog's
license tag, shall be notified personally by serving such owner or adult with
a notice in writing stating that the dog has been seized and may be destroyed
unless redeemed. If the identity of the owner is not ascertainable, then a
report of such seizure and/or impounding, together with a description of the
dog seized and/or impounded, shall be published in a daily newspaper serving
the Village of Saugerties as soon after such seizure and/or impounding as
is practicable.
If the dog seized bears a license tag, the dog shall be held by the
Village of Saugerties, New York, or its assigns for a period of 12 days during
which period it may be redeemed by the owner by paying to the Town Clerk a
sum as set from time to time by resolution of the Board of Trustees. If the
dog seized does not bear a license tag, the dog shall be held by the Village
of Saugerties, New York, or its assigns for a period of seven days during
which period it may be redeemed by the owner by producing a license for said
dog and paying to the Town Clerk a sum as set from time to time by resolution
of the Board of Trustees. If the dog is not redeemed during the period set
forth herein, the owner shall forfeit all title to the dog.
A. The Village of Saugerties, New York, or its assigns harboring
such dog may order the destruction of said dog, or the dog may be offered
for adoption to a responsible or proper person after producing a license for
said dog.
B. No dog not reclaimed by its owner shall be sold or given
or offered for adoption to any laboratory for experimental purposes, nor sold,
given nor offered for adoption to any person in any way connected with a laboratory
using dogs for experimental purposes.
The keeper of the dogs and the Dog Control Officer shall keep a record
and description of each animal impounded, the date of the receipt of such
animal, the date and manner of its disposal, and, if redeemed, the name and
the address of the person by whom redeemed.
No person shall hinder, resist or oppose the Dog Control Officer, any
police officer, agent or employee or representative of the Village in the
performance of their duties under this article.
[Amended 11-15-1993 by L.L. No. 4-1993]
A violation of this article shall be an offense and shall be punishable,
upon conviction, by a fine of not more than $250 for the first violation,
not more than $350 for the second violation and not more than $500 for the
third and all subsequent violations, or by imprisonment for not more than
15 days, or both.
[Adopted 7-16-1984 by L.L. No. 4-1984]
No person shall breed, raise, harbor or maintain any poultry, chickens,
turkeys, ducks or any other fowl or any swine, horses, cows, mules, goats,
rabbits, pigeons, reptiles, rodents or other livestock or similar animals
without first obtaining the approval of the Board of Trustees.
Each application for a permit to maintain a yard or pen for animals permitted to be kept under §
66-11 shall be in writing, on a form provided by the Village, and shall be accompanied by a fee as may be determined by the Board of Trustees.
No permit shall be issued by the Board of Trustees for the purposes set forth in §§
66-11 and
66-12 in any case in which, in the judgment of the Board of Trustees, such purpose would create conditions likely to impair the health, peace, quiet and order of the Village.
All yards or pens, when permitted by the Village Board, shall be kept
in a clean and sanitary condition, and all filth accumulating in or about
the same shall be removed with such frequency and in such a manner as the
Village Board shall direct.
Any permit for the purposes contained in §§
66-11 and
66-12 may be revoked and annulled by the Board of Trustees upon proof of a violation of any provisions of this article. The proof shall be taken before the Board of Trustees upon notice of not less than two days to show cause why such permit shall have been revoked or annulled. The permittee shall not thereafter be entitled to a permit under any of the provisions of this article.
[Amended 11-15-1993 by L.L. No. 4-1993]
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this
article shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of not more than
$250 for the first violation, not more than $350 for the second violation
and not more than $500 for the third and all subsequent violations, or by
imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or both.
This article shall not be construed to apply to dogs, cats, caged birds
or fish.