The purpose of this article is to provide for the licensing
and identification of dogs, the control and protection of the dog
population and the protection of persons, property, domestic animals
and deer from dog attack and damage.
This article is enacted pursuant to the provisions of Article
7, Chapter 59, Part T, of the Agriculture and Markets Law and the Municipal Home
Rule Law of the State of New York. To the extent this article is inconsistent
with any other Town laws, this terms of this article shall control.
The tide of this article shall be "Town of Waterford Dog Licensure
Law."
As used in this article, the following words shall have the
following respective meanings:
DOG
Male and female, licensed and unlicensed, members of the
species Canis familiaris.
OWNER
Person entitled to claim lawful custody and possession of
a dog who is responsible for purchasing the license for such dog unless
the dog is or has been lost, and such loss was promptly reported to
the Dog Control Officer and a reasonable search has been made. If
a dog is not licensed, the term "owner" shall designate and cover
any person or persons, firm, association, or corporation, who or which
at any time owns or has custody or control of, harbors, or is otherwise
responsible for any dog which is kept, brought or comes within the
Town. Any person owning or harboring a dog for a period of one week
prior to filing any complaint charging a violation of this article
shall be held in and deemed to be the owner of any dog found to be
in violation of this article.
TOWN
The Town of Waterford.
Any dog found to be running at large in violation of § 117
of the Agriculture and Markets Law, whether licensed or unlicensed,
will be seized by the Dog Control Officer and such dog shall be properly
fed and cared for until redeemed by the owner adopted or disposed
of as provided by § 117 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
The owner of any dog impounded by the Town of Waterford shall be entitled
to redeem that dog within five business days, excluding the day the
dog is impounded, provided that the owner produces proof the dog is
licensed and identified and pays a fee of $40 for the first impoundment;
a fee of $3 for each additional twenty-four hour period; a fee of
$80 for the second impoundment; a fee of $3 for each additional twenty-four
hour period, a fee of $120 for a third and each subsequent impoundment.
The Town Board shall have the power to conduct an annual survey
of the Town's dog population. By resolution, the Town Board shall
set forth the manner of notification as well as the manner of reply.
Failure to respond shall result in a special assessment of $50 onto
the license fee.
A violation of this article shall be deemed an offense against
this article, and any person convicted of such violation shall be
liable to the penalty set forth in § 118 of the Agriculture
and Markets Law.
This article shall supersede all prior local laws, ordinances,
rules and regulations relative to the licensure of dogs within the
Town of Waterford and all other matters specifically detailed herein
and they shall be upon the effectiveness of this article, null and
void.