[HISTORY: Adopted by the ATM 5-7-2024, art. 24.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This article amended in its entirety Ch. 8, Regulation of Animals, adopted 10-28-1997 ATM , art. 26; amended 10-24-2006 ATM, art. 23; 10-25-2011 ATM, art. 7; 10-25-2011 ATM, art. 7; 10-22-2013 ATM, art. 8; 5-1-2018 ATM, art. 28; 10-22-2019 ATM, art. 6.
The following words and phrases, as used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise, shall have the following meanings:
A. 
hunting or sporting dog – Means an animal under the control and direction of its owner or keeper while used in training or actual hunting. It also includes animals used in events or trials participating under sanctioned competitions.
B. 
keeper – Means any person, other than the owner, harboring in their possession any animal. The keeper shall be held liable for the action of the animal.
C. 
kennel – Means a pack or collection of dogs on a single premises, including a commercial boarding or training kennel, commercial breeder kennel, domestic charitable corporation kennel, personal kennel or veterinary kennel, as defined in MGL c. 140, § 136A.
D. 
owner – Includes corporations, societies, associations, partnerships and individuals, provided that they show ownership of an animal by possession of a current and valid license or other satisfactory proof of ownership.
E. 
working dog – Means an animal used in the performance of a particular set of tasks. The animal must be engaged in such tasks to be exempt from § 8-102. Examples include guard dogs, seeing eye dogs and dogs used to control a farmer’s flock or herd.
No person shall permit a dog owned or kept by them to go beyond the confines of the property of the owner or keeper unless the dog is held firmly on a leash. The length of a leash shall not exceed six feet when the dog is off the property of the owner or keeper. An owner or keeper may use a leash of greater length to restrain a dog on the property of the owner or keeper, provided that the dog is securely confined to the premises of the owner or keeper. Exceptions are hunting or sporting dogs, as well as working dogs while used in such capacity.
The unauthorized presence of any animal on public lands or on the land of any person other than the owner or keeper of such animal when such animal is not restrained as mentioned above shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of the provisions of this section.
[Amended 10-28-2025 ATM by Art. 3]
A. 
This dog regulation by-law may be enforced pursuant to the provisions of MGL c. 40, § 21D, and pursuant to § 1-109A of this code of by-laws.
B. 
Except as otherwise provided, the penalty for the first offense in a calendar year shall be $50, the penalty for the second offense shall be $100, the penalty for the third offense shall be $300, and the penalty for the fourth and each subsequent offense in the same calendar year shall be $500.
[Amended 10-28-2025 ATM by Art. 3]
A. 
Any owner or keeper of a dog six months of age or older in the town of Northbridge shall cause that dog to be licensed as required by MGL c. 140 within the stipulated time. An owner or keeper of fewer than five dogs over three months of age may elect to secure a kennel license in lieu of licensing the dogs individually as provided by MGL c. 140, § 137A.
B. 
Fees.
(1) 
The annual fee for every dog license, except as otherwise provided for by law, shall be $10, unless the town clerk has been shown a certificate of a registered veterinarian who performed the operation that altered the dog and thereby deprived it of the power of breeding or producing offspring, in which case the fee shall be $6. If the town clerk is satisfied that the certification by the veterinarian who altered the dog cannot be obtained, the town clerk may accept in lieu thereof a statement, under the penalties of perjury, by a registered veterinarian describing the dog and stating that he has examined the dog and, in his opinion, the dog is not capable of breeding or producing offspring by reason of spaying or neutering. Until the veterinarian has examined the dog in question, the license fee for the licensing period shall be at the rate of $10. When applying for a license, the applicant must also show proof by a veterinarian’s certificate that the dog has been vaccinated against rabies, as required by MGL c. 140.
(2) 
No fee shall be charged for a license for a dog specifically trained to lead or serve a blind person or a deaf person, provided that the Division of the Blind or Deaf certified that such dog is so trained and actually in the services of a blind or deaf person. Nor shall a fee be charged for a license for any other kind of certified service dog or for a dog owned by a person who was 70 years old as of January 1 of the year in which the owner is requesting a dog license, except if the owner has a number of dogs for which a kennel license is required, as provided in the following subsections.
(3) 
Kennel fees shall be as follows:
(a) 
From 5 to 10 dogs: $75
(b) 
From 11 to 25 dogs: $100
C. 
No license fee or part thereof shall be refunded because of subsequent death, loss, spaying, neutering or removal from the commonwealth or other disposal of the dog.
D. 
Should any owner or keeper of a dog fail to license that dog before June 1, that owner or keeper shall pay a late fee of $10 per household before obtaining said license, unless the dog was brought into the town as provided in MGL c. 140, § 138. This late fee shall be applicable from the 61st day after the arrival of such dog.
E. 
Any person maintaining a kennel in the town of Northbridge who fails to license as prescribed by this section and the laws of the commonwealth shall pay a late fee of $20.
The animal control officer can impound a dog and fine the owner or keeper of said dog pursuant to § 8-104 of this chapter for the following offenses by the dog or the owner:
A. 
Being an unlicensed dog
B. 
Being found at large when the owner or keeper is not present
C. 
Injuring or menacing a person
D. 
Injuring a domestic animal or fowl
E. 
Chasing vehicles (autos, motorcycles or trucks)
F. 
Chasing bicycles
G. 
Causing any disturbance (barking, howling or otherwise disturbing)
H. 
Being unmuzzled off the owner's or keeper's property while a muzzling order is in effect
I. 
Being found at large at any school yard and/or recreational area
J. 
Violating of a quarantine
A. 
The animal control officer can order a dog to be muzzled for the following:
(1) 
Biting or menacing a person
(2) 
Injuring a domestic animal or fowl
(3) 
Excessive barking
B. 
Exceptions. Only the animal control officer has the power to remove a muzzle order if they so desires. For example, an exception is feeding time.
For biting a person, the animal must be quarantined subject to MGL c. 129, § 21. All violations of a quarantine order will be subject to general penalties under MGL c. 129, § 30.
A. 
A storage fee of $5 per day will be levied if an animal is impounded.
B. 
Impounded, unlicensed dogs will be kept for 10 days. During such time, a description of the animal will be posted at the town hall. To obtain the release of an unlicensed animal, the owner must license the animal and pay all fines and storage fees. If the animal is not claimed, it will be sold to anyone paying the fines and storage of said animal. If not claimed or sold within the ten-day period, the animal shall be destroyed in a humane manner.
C. 
The owner of an impounded licensed dog will be notified by registered mail of the animal's confinement. The animal shall be kept until the owner pays all fines and storage. If not claimed within 30 days, it will be destroyed in a humane manner.
A. 
If found at large, dogs in the estrous cycle (heat) can be impounded. If complaints have been recorded, the animal control officer may require the owner to remove the animal from the area of disturbance. If a dog is impounded, the owner shall be notified by registered mail of the animal’s confinement.
B. 
A fine of $25 shall be levied against the owner or keeper of an unspayed female dog in heat running at large.
C. 
Impounded, unlicensed dogs in heat shall be kept for 10 days. During such time a description of the animal will be posted in the town hall. If the animal is not claimed, it shall be sold to anyone paying the fines and storage of said animal. If not claimed or sold within the 10-day period, the animal shall be destroyed in a humane manner.
[Amended 10-28-2025 ATM by Art. 4]
A. 
Kennel license required. A kennel license shall be required for all kennels and shall be classified as a Grade One License for the keeping of 5 to 10 dogs, and a Grade Two License for the keeping of 11 to 25 dogs or for the keeping of greater than 25 dogs. A kennel in excess of 25 dogs shall not be permitted unless the animal control officer determines that such kennel in excess of 25 dogs shall board dogs primarily within a building and such building shall provide for not less than 100 square feet of gross floor area per dog.
B. 
Application and issuance of license and fees. A kennel license shall be issued annually by the town clerk upon written application by an owner or keeper of dogs and the animal control officer or other agent as designated by the town manager has inspected the premises on which the dogs are to be kept and has determined that the conditions set forth in subsection D are met.
(1) 
An application fee of $100 shall be required for the initial application and for any applications to make changes to an existing kennel license.
(2) 
Exception: All existing kennels licensed before January 1, 2012, shall be exempt from the requirement of a new application and be subject only to the requirement of the annual inspection and renewal fee.
C. 
Conditions that must be met for the issuance of a kennel license. The animal control officer or other agent as designated by the town manager shall determine that
(1) 
shall determine that the proposed licensed premises contain sufficient and suitable space for the keeping of the specific breed(s) and number(s) of dogs, including both indoor and outdoor areas;
(2) 
shall, upon inspection of the proposed licensed premises, determine that the said premises provide suitable distances from nearby residential dwellings; and
(3) 
shall determine that the proposed licensed premises contain a suitable shelter for the dogs, which for a Grade Three License includes adequate running water and an impervious floor suitable for sanitary maintenance.
D. 
Kennel license conditions. All kennel licenses shall be issued annually and be subject to the following conditions:
(1) 
The licensee shall maintain a certificate of health signed by a licensed veterinarian for each dog in the kennel. The certificate of health shall be updated at least annually upon review of the kennel license and the payment of the annual kennel license fee.
(2) 
The licensee shall maintain a certificate signed by a licensed veterinarian that each dog in the kennel six months of age or older has a current rabies vaccination.
(3) 
The licensee shall comply with the Town of Northbridge leash by-law, § 8-102.
(4) 
The licensed premises shall be subject to unannounced, annual inspections by the animal control officer or other agent as designated by the town manager regarding compliance with the conditions of the kennel license.
E. 
Penalties and enforcement. The operation of a kennel without a license shall be a violation of this by-law. Any violation of the conditions of a kennel license shall be grounds for suspension, revocation or nonrenewal of the kennel license. The provisions of this article shall be enforced by the animal control officer or other agent as designated by the town manager. The penalties for violating the kennel licensing provision set forth herein shall be $300 per offense, each day of the violation constituting a separate offense.
F. 
Appeal and waiver.
(1) 
Should a kennel license be denied because of the applicant’s inability to meet the requirements of sufficient and suitable space, suitable distance from nearby residential dwellings and suitable shelter for the dogs, as determined upon inspection by the animal control officer or other agent as designated by the town manager, the applicant may appeal the town clerk’s denial to the board of selectmen or their designee within 30 days of receiving the denial.
(2) 
The board of selectmen or their designee shall hold a hearing on said appeal within 45 days of receipt of the written notice of appeal.
(3) 
Notice of the hearing shall be given by postage-prepaid first-class mail to the abutters of the proposed licensed premises and both to the property owner and any tenants, as appearing in the board of assessors’ most recent list, and also shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the town and on the town bulletin board at least 14 days prior to the date of the board of selectmen’s, or their designee’s, hearing. The applicant shall pay the expenses of giving said notice.
(4) 
After hearing, the board of selectmen or their designee may do any of the following:
(a) 
waive strict compliance with the provisions set forth in subsection D and order the town clerk to issue the license if the animal control officer or other agent as designated by the town manager recommends a waiver;
(b) 
waive strict compliance with the provisions set forth in subsection D and order the town clerk to issue the license if the board of selectmen or their designee determines that there is sufficient area for the keeping of the dogs and that the health and the safety of the public is protected; or
(c) 
grant a waiver under this section but impose conditions on the waiver such that the health and the safety of the public is protected; and the board of selectmen or its designee may then order the town clerk to issue a license that states these conditions.
A. 
Duty to dispose. It shall be the duty of each person who owns, possesses or controls a dog to remove and dispose of any feces left by their dog on any sidewalk, street, park or other public area.
B. 
Duty to possess means of removal. No person who owns, possesses or controls such dog shall appear with such dog on any sidewalk, street, park or other public area without the means of removal of any feces left by such dog.
C. 
Method of removal and disposal. For the purpose of this regulation, the means of removal shall be any tool, implement or other device carried for the purpose of picking up and containing such feces unexposed to said person or the public. Disposal shall be accomplished by transporting such feces to a place suitable and regularly reserved for the disposal of human feces, specifically reserved for the disposal of canine feces or as otherwise designated as appropriate by the board of health.
D. 
Fines or violation. Violation of this regulation shall be punished by a fine of $50 for each occurrence.
E. 
Exemption. This regulation shall not apply to a dog accompanying a handicapped person who, by reason of their handicap, is physically unable to comply with the requirements of this regulation.
Dogs banned or removed from another town or municipality may not be relocated to or be permitted to be kept within the town of Northbridge.
In the event that any provision or section of this section is deemed invalid and unenforceable, all other provisions shall remain in force and in effect.