[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Cohasset as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Animal Control Officer — See Ch. 30, § 30-48.
[Adopted as Art. VII, § 12, of the 1988 General Bylaws]
A. 
No person shall keep and maintain a dog in the Town of Cohasset unless it is licensed. The license period each year shall be from January 1 to December 31.
B. 
Licenses will be issued at the Town Clerk's office. Proof of rabies vaccination and spaying or neutering certificates are required to obtain a license. Dogs must be licensed at the age of six months or older or within 30 days of the date on which the owner of the dog becomes a resident, whichever event shall first occur.
The fees for the licensing of dogs will be $6 for spayed females and neutered males and $10 for unspayed females and unneutered males until December 31, 1989, and thereafter the annual fees for licensing of dogs will be $8 for spayed females and neutered males and $15 for unspayed females and unneutered males.
Any individual who has not licensed his or her dog by May 1, in any year, shall pay an additional late fee of $25.
The fee for licensing of kennels will be as follows:
Number of Dogs
Fee
1 to 3
$45
4 to 9
$90
10 or more
$135
A. 
The Animal Control Officer, upon apprehending any dog, shall make a complete registry, entering the breed, color and sex of such dog, its license number, and the name and address of the owner, if known.
B. 
If an owner of an impounded dog is known, such owner shall be given notice of the impounding within 24 hours thereof. Such owner may reclaim the dog upon payment of $15 for the first reclaiming in any calendar year, $20 for the second reclaiming in any calendar year, and $30 for the third and each subsequent reclaiming in any calendar year, together with the license fee, if unpaid, and the reasonable costs incurred by the Town for impounding and maintaining the dog. The boarding fee for impounded dogs shall be the current rate then charged by the boarding kennel.
C. 
Disposition of dogs not reclaimed shall be in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
[Amended 7-27-1990]
No person shall keep a dog which, by biting, barking or any other activity, disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood or endangers the safety of any person. Any owner or keeper of a dog who shall permit such dog to be in any street or public place without either being effectively restrained by chain or leash under the direct and positive control of such owner, keeper, or other person or attended by a person exercising control, or who shall permit such dog to run upon property of another without express permission of the owner or occupant of such property, may be punished by a fine as provided in this bylaw.
[Amended 4-30-2018 ATM by Art. 18; 4-29-2019 ATM by Art. 15]
Violations of § 69-6 will result in the following penalties:
A. 
First violation: $50.
B. 
Second violation: $100.
C. 
Third violation: $300.
D. 
Fourth and subsequent violations: $500.
The fine for failure to vaccinate for rabies will be $50.
Wildlife shall be removed from public or private property at the discretion of the Animal Control Officer and a service fee shall be charged accordingly.
All animal bites shall be reported immediately to the Animal Control Officer.
[Added 7-20-2010]
A. 
Purpose. To abate the potential health danger of fecal material from dogs.
B. 
Applicability. This bylaw applies to all persons who own, possess, care for or control a dog while located within the Town of Cohasset.
C. 
General.
(1) 
Any person who owns, possesses, cares for or controls a dog shall take every precaution to not permit his or her dog to defecate on any sidewalk, street, parking lot or any other public place or on private property not owned by the above person.
(2) 
Any person who owns, possesses, cares for or controls a dog shall promptly remove and properly dispose of any fecal matter deposited by such dog in any public place or on private property not owned by such person.
D. 
Enforcement. Whoever violates this section shall pay for each offense a fine of $50. At the discretion of the enforcing persons, who shall be the Board of Public Health and the Health Agent, this section may be enforced by noncriminal disposition in the manner provided in MGL c. 40, § 21D.
[Amended 5-24-2021 ATM by Art. 28]
E. 
Exemption. This bylaw shall not apply to any dog accompanying any disabled person, who because of his or her disability is unable to comply with these requirements.
[Adopted as Art. VII, § 11, of the 1988 General Bylaws]
No person shall permit any horse, livestock, or poultry under his care to go upon any sidewalk, graze in any public place, cause damage to property, or interfere with the safety and convenience of any person.