[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Sharon as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Noise — See Ch. 195.
Housing and management of domesticated animals — See Ch. 300, Art. 13.
Animal waste regulations — See Ch. 300, Art. 26.
Waterfowl regulations — See Ch. 300, Art. 27.
[Adopted as Art. 10, § 28B, of the Town Bylaws; amended 11-17-2008 STM]
No person shall trap wildlife on any land owned by the Town or by the Town's Conservation Commission unless a written permit shall have been obtained prior to the opening of each trapping season from the Select Board members in the case of land owned by the Town or from the Conservation Commission in the case of land owned by the Conservation Commission. Such permit must be worn in a visible manner and must be shown on demand to any Sharon police officer or to the Town's Conservation Officer.
[Adopted 11-17-2014 STM by Art. 8 (Art. 17 of the Town Bylaws)]
The purpose of this bylaw is to achieve the objectives of the animal control enabling legislation, as amended, contained in MGL c. 140, §§ 136A through 174E, which includes the regulation of domesticated animals within the borders of the Town of Sharon, Massachusetts, the licensing of dogs, and the establishment of fines for violation of this bylaw.
This bylaw shall apply to all dogs owned by or kept by residents of the Town of Sharon, all dogs harbored or kept in the Town of Sharon, and all dogs physically within the Town of Sharon, whether on public or private property and regardless of whether ownership can be determined. This bylaw also shall apply to all residents of the Town of Sharon who bring or harbor one or more dogs within the Town of Sharon.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER
An appointed officer authorized to enforce MGL c. 140, §§ 136A to 174E, inclusive.
AT LARGE
A dog off the premises of its owner or keeper and not under the control of a person capable of preventing the dog from being a threat to public safety, biting other domestic animals or being a public nuisance.
ATTACK
Aggressive physical contact initiated by an animal.
COMMERCIAL BOARDING OR TRAINING KENNEL
An establishment used for boarding, holding, day care, overnight stays or training of animals that are not the property of the owner of the establishment, at which such services are rendered in exchange for consideration and in the absence of the owner of any such animal; provided, however, that "commercial boarding or training kennel" shall not include an animal shelter or animal control facility, a pet shop licensed under MGL c. 129, § 39A, a grooming facility operated solely for the purpose of grooming and not for overnight boarding or an individual who temporarily, and not in the normal course of business, boards or cares for animals owned by others.
DANGEROUS DOG
A dog that either:
A. 
Without justification, attacks a person or domestic animal causing physical injury or death; or
B. 
Behaves in a manner that a reasonable person would believe poses an unjustified imminent threat of physical injury or death to a person or to a domestic or owned animal.
HEARING AUTHORITY
The Select Board of the Town of Sharon.
KEEPER
A person, business, corporation, entity or society, other than the owner, having possession of a dog.
KENNEL
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.
LICENSING AUTHORITY
The clerk of any municipality.
LIVESTOCK OR FOWL
A fowl or other animal kept or propagated by the owner for food or as a means of livelihood, deer, elk, cottontail rabbit, northern hare, pheasant, quail, partridge and other birds and quadrupeds determined by the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Law Enforcement to be wild and kept by, or under a permit from, the Department in proper houses or suitable enclosed yards; provided, however, that "livestock or fowl" shall not include a dog, cat or other pet.
NUISANCE DOG
A dog that:
A. 
By excessive barking or other disturbance is a source of annoyance to a sick person residing in the vicinity; or
B. 
By excessive barking, causing damage or other interference, a reasonable person would find such behavior disruptive to one’s quiet and peaceful enjoyment; or
C. 
Has threatened or attacked livestock, a domestic animal or a person, but such threat or attack was not a grossly disproportionate reaction under all the circumstances.
PERSONAL KENNEL
A pack or collection of more than four dogs, three months old or older, owned or kept under single ownership, for private personal use; provided, however, that breeding of personally owned dogs may take place for the purpose of improving, exhibiting or showing the breed or for use in legal sporting activity or for other personal reasons; provided, further, that selling, trading, bartering or distributing such breeding from a personal kennel shall be to other breeders or individuals by private sale only and not to wholesalers, brokers or pet shops; provided, further, that a personal kennel shall not sell, trade, barter or distribute a dog not bred from its personally owned dogs; and provided, further, that dogs temporarily housed at a personal kennel, in conjunction with an animal shelter or rescue registered with the Department of Agricultural Resources, may be sold, traded, bartered or distributed if the transfer is not for profit.
A. 
Licenses shall be required for any dog over six months of age in accordance with MGL c. 140, § 137, and are valid for a one-year period commencing on January 1 and expiring on December 31 of each year. The annual fee for every dog license, except as otherwise provided by law, shall be $20 for a male or female dog; unless a certificate of a registered veterinarian who performed the operation that such dog has been spayed or neutered and has thereby been deprived of the power of propagation has been shown to the Town Clerk, in which case the fee shall be $15. A copy of such certificate of spaying or neutering on file in the office of any city or town clerk within the commonwealth may be accepted as evidence that such operation has been performed. If the Town Clerk is satisfied that the certificate of the veterinarian cannot be obtained, he/she may accept in lieu thereof a statement signed under the penalties of perjury by a veterinarian registered and practicing in the commonwealth describing the dog and stating that he/she has examined such dog and that it appears to have been and in his/her opinion has been spayed or neutered and thereby deprived of the power of propagation.
B. 
A licensing authority shall not grant a license for a dog unless the owner of the dog provides the licensing authority with a veterinarian’s certification that the dog has been vaccinated for rabies, certification that such dog is exempt from the rabies vaccination requirement under MGL c. 140, § 145B, or a notarized letter from a veterinarian that either of these certifications was issued relative to such dog.
C. 
The license shall be granted upon condition that the dog shall be controlled and restrained from killing, chasing or harassing livestock or fowl.
D. 
No license fee shall be charged for a license for a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
E. 
No dog license fee or part thereof shall be refunded because of the subsequent death, loss, spaying or removal from the commonwealth or other disposal of the dog.
F. 
Should any owner or keeper of a dog fail to license their dog before May 31, the owner shall pay a late fee of $50, in addition to the license fee. In accordance with Chapter 1, Article I, of the General Bylaws of the Town of Sharon and MGL c. 140, § 141, a noncriminal disposition penalty will be imposed in the amount of $50 for any owner of a dog who fails to comply with the licensing of their dog on or before June 30 of any year; said fee is to be paid in addition to the late fee and license fee.
[Amended 5-2-2022 ATM by Art. 16]
(1) 
The owner of any dog impounded because of failure to license according to this bylaw may claim such dog upon the reimbursement to the Animal Control Officer of the expense incurred for maintaining such dog according to the following fee schedule:
(a) 
Payment of any kennel charges incurred for the period of the dog’s impoundment.
(b) 
For initial handling and pick-up of the dog: $25.
(2) 
Prior to its release, the owner of said dog shall obtain a license from the Town Clerk.
G. 
The owner or keeper of a licensed dog shall keep affixed around the dog’s neck or body a collar or harness of leather or other suitable material, to which a tag shall be securely attached. The tag shall have inscribed upon it the dog’s license number, the name of the city or town issuing the license and the year of issue. If the tag becomes lost, the owner or keeper of the dog shall immediately secure a substitute tag from the licensing authority at a cost to be determined by the city or town, and the fee for the substitute shall, if received by a city or town clerk, be retained by the clerk unless otherwise provided by law.
H. 
Every person maintaining a kennel shall obtain a kennel license in accordance with MGL c. 140, § 137A.
I. 
The fee for every kennel license shall, except as otherwise provided, be $35 for no more than four dogs over the age of three months; $60 if more than four but no more than 10 dogs over the age of three months; $125 if more than 10 dogs over the age of three months are kept therein. An owner or keeper of a personal kennel may elect to secure a kennel license in lieu of licensing each individual dog.
J. 
In the case of an applicant for initial licensure, a licensing authority shall not issue a kennel license until a kennel has passed inspection by the Animal Control Officer.
K. 
Whoever violates MGL c. 140, § 137, 137A, 137B or 138, shall be assessed a penalty of $50.
L. 
Any funds collected pursuant to the provisions of this bylaw shall be accounted for and paid over to the Town Treasurer at such time and in such manner as may be designated by the Town Treasurer.
No person shall own or keep in the Town any dog which by biting, excessive barking, howling, or being at large or in any other manner becomes a public nuisance. Any unspayed female dog in season shall be deemed a public nuisance when not confined indoors by the owner thereof, or housed in a veterinarian hospital or registered clinic.
Any owner or keeper of a dog who shall fail to comply with any order of the Animal Control Officer or Select Board members issued pursuant to this bylaw shall be punished by a fine of $100, with a right to appeal to the District Court pursuant to MGL c. 140, § 157.
A. 
If any person shall make a complaint, pursuant to MGL c. 140, § 157, in writing to the Animal Control Officer or Select Board that any dog owned or harbored within the Town is a nuisance dog or is a dangerous dog, the Animal Control Officer shall investigate such complaint and submit a written report to the Select Board, acting as the hearing authority, of his findings and recommendations, together with the written complaint.
B. 
The Animal Control Officer, after investigation, may issue an interim order that such dog be restrained or muzzled for a period not to exceed 14 days to allow the Select Board to issue its order following receipt of the report of the Animal Control Officer.
C. 
Restraint or muzzling.
(1) 
Any dog may be restrained or muzzled pursuant to an interim order of the Animal Control Officer for any of the following reasons:
(a) 
For having bitten any person.
(b) 
If found at large or unmuzzled, as the case may be, while an order for restraint of such dog is in effect.
(c) 
If found in a school, schoolyard or public recreation area.
(d) 
For having killed or maimed or otherwise damaged any other domesticated animal.
(e) 
For chasing any vehicle upon a public way or way open to public travel in the Town.
(f) 
For any violation of this section relating to dogs.
(2) 
Upon restraining or muzzling, or issuing any order to restrain or muzzle, the Animal Control Officer shall submit in writing to the Select Board a report of his action and the reasons therefor. If the Select Board fails to act during the period of the interim order, upon expiration of the period the interim order shall be automatically vacated.
D. 
Such investigation shall include notice to the owner and a hearing with an examination under oath of the complainant to determine whether the dog is a nuisance or is a dangerous dog.
(1) 
Based on the credible evidence and testimony presented at the public hearing, the Select Board shall, if the dog is complained of as a nuisance dog, either:
(a) 
Dismiss the complaint; or
(b) 
Deem such dog a nuisance dog; or
(2) 
If the dog is complained of as being a dangerous dog, either:
(a) 
Dismiss the complaint;
(b) 
Deem the dog is a nuisance dog; or
(c) 
Deem such dog a dangerous dog.
(3) 
If the Select Board deem a dog as a nuisance dog or a dangerous dog, the Select Board may order remedial action in accordance with MGL c. 140, § 157.
E. 
The owner or keeper of any dog that has been issued an order under this section may file an appeal in accordance with MGL c. 140, § 157(d).
In accordance with the requirements of MGL c. 140, § 174E, no person owning or keeping a dog shall chain or tether a dog to a stationary object, including, but not limited to, a structure, dog house, pole or tree, for longer than 24 consecutive hours.
No person shall permit a dog owned or kept by him beyond the confines of the property of the owner or keeper unless the dog is held firmly on a leash or is under the control of its owner or keeper or agent of either. As used in this section, the term "control" shall include but not be limited to oral or visual commands to which the dog is obedient. Dogs running at large and not under restraint will be caught and confined for a period of up to seven days, and the known owner or keeper will be forthwith notified. Said dog shall not be released to that known owner or keeper until a pick-up charge of $20 per dog shall have been paid to the Town of Sharon for services rendered in addition to a per-day boarding fee which is determined by the shelter for the care and keep of each dog impounded.
See MGL c. 140, § 151B. A veterinarian registered under MGL c. 112, § 55 or 56A, who renders emergency care or treatment to, or who euthanizes, a dog or cat that is injured on any way shall receive payment from the owner of such dog or cat, if known, or, if not known, from the city or town in which the injury occurred in an amount not to exceed $250 for such care, treatment or euthanization; provided, however, such emergency care, treatment or euthanization shall be rendered for the purpose of maintaining life, stabilizing the animal or alleviating suffering until the owner or keeper of the dog or cat is identified or for 24 hours, whichever is sooner. A veterinarian who renders such emergency care or treatment to a dog or cat or euthanizes a dog or cat shall notify the municipal Animal Control Officer and the Animal Control Officer shall assume control of the dog or cat or the remains of the dog or cat.
A. 
In addition to the remedies set forth herein, other than as provided in §§ 116-5 and 116-7, this bylaw may be enforced by noncriminal disposition as provided in MGL c. 40, § 21D. For the purposes of this bylaw, the Animal Control Officer and all Sharon police officers shall be designated enforcing persons. Each day on which any violation of this bylaw occurs shall be deemed to be a separate offense subject to the following penalties:
[Amended 5-2-2022 ATM by Art. 16]
(1) 
First offense: $50.
(2) 
Second offense: $100.
(3) 
Third offense: $300.
(4) 
Fourth and each subsequent offense: $500 (and the Town may order the animal spayed or neutered).
B. 
The issuance of a penalty or noncriminal disposition shall not preclude the Town from seeking or obtaining any or all other legal and equitable remedies to prevent or remove a violation of this bylaw.
Should any portion, section or provision of this bylaw be found invalid for any reason, that finding shall not affect the validity and force of any other section, portion or provision of this bylaw.