A.
The fee for every license shall be set by the Town Clerk in accordance
with MGL c. 40, § 22F. The fee for a license for any dog
that has been neutered or spayed and for which a certificate from
a registered veterinarian has been presented to the Town Clerk shall
be set at no more than 1/2 of the fee set by the Town Clerk in accordance
with this section. The appropriate license fee, proof of rabies vaccination
and neutering/spaying certificate, if any, must be presented to the
Town Clerk at the time of application for a license, and, in addition,
a stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany an application for
a license by mail.
(1)
In accordance with MGL c. 140, § 137, the owner or keeper
of a dog over the age of six months shall annually obtain a license
for the dog from the licensing authority, the Office of the Town Clerk,
who shall issue dog licenses and tags.
(2)
In accordance with MGL c. 140, § 138, any person who during
any license period becomes the owner or keeper of a dog which is duly
licensed in the town or city where it is to be kept shall forthwith
give notice, in writing, to the Town Clerk that he has become such
owner or keeper. The Town Clerk shall change the record of such license
to show the name and address of the new owner or keeper.
(3)
In accordance with MGL c. 140, § 138, any person bringing
or causing to be brought from another town, state or country any dog
which is six months old or over or will be six months old before the
expiration of 30 days shall register the dog with the Town of Hadley
within 30 days of the dog's arrival.
(4)
In addition to the requisite license fees, a penalty of $20 shall
be imposed upon all owners/guardians or keepers of dogs failing to
renew licenses before June 1 of each year. This penalty shall take
effect on June 1 of each year.
(5)
No license fee shall be charged for a license issued under MGL c.
140, § 139, for a service animal as defined by the Americans
with Disabilities Act[1] and MGL c. 272, § 98a.
(a)
Application shall be made for a license as provided in this
bylaw, and license tags issued by the Office of the Town Clerk must
be worn by any such service dog.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.
(6)
No license fee or portion thereof shall be refunded because of subsequent
death, loss, spaying, neutering, removal from the Town of Hadley,
or other disposal of the dog for which the license has been issued,
nor shall any fee for a license issued to a new resident be prorated.
(7)
All fees collected shall be turned over to the Treasurer and deposited
into the Town treasury in accordance with Town bylaw.
B.
Kennel licenses:
(1)
Issuance: In accordance with MGL c. 140, § 137A, before
a kennel license can be issued, the kennel must be inspected by an
Animal Control Officer to ensure that it is being maintained in a
sanitary and humane manner and that all records are up to date. Upon
completion of inspection, the kennel license will be approved or denied.
(2)
Inspections: In accordance with MGL c. 140, § 137C, an
Animal Control Officer or police officer may inspect, or cause to
be inspected, any licensed kennel. If, in the judgment of the Animal
Control Officer or police officer, the kennel is not being maintained
in a sanitary or humane manner, or if records are not being properly
kept as required by law, the inspecting authority shall, by order,
revoke or suspend the license for the kennel.
(3)
Renewal: A kennel license shall be renewed annually upon completion
of an annual inspection and payment of the appropriate fee, provided
that the license holder has not been in violation of this bylaw or
Massachusetts General Laws pertaining to dogs in the past 12 months
as determined by the Animal Control Officer.
