[Adopted 3-12-1984; amended 6-12-2007]
Pursuant to Title 30-A, Maine Revised Statutes, Section 3001,
an ordinance for restraint of dogs in public places is enacted.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit or cause a dog to be
present on any public way or public place unless that dog is under
restraint and under control of that person within the meaning of this
article. For the purposes of this article, a dog shall be considered
under restraint and under control of a person if that dog is attached
to a leash that is held by a person or if a dog is at "heel" beside
a person, and obedient to that person's commands, or if a dog is located
on or within a vehicle being driven or parked on streets or public
ways, or if a dog is located within the property limits of the owner
or keeper of that dog.
B.
Nothing contained in this article shall be held to require the leashing
or restraint of any dog while that dog is located on the property
of its owner or keeper.
C.
It shall also be unlawful for any dog to be located or present on
property owned by a person other than the owner or keeper of that
dog unless that dog is present on that property with the permission
of the owner of that property.
D.
For purposes of this article, a dog shall be deemed controlled by
a leash so that the dog is under restraint within the meaning of this
article only if the leash attached to that dog is not more than eight
feet long.
F.
This article prohibits any person from causing or permitting a dog
to be located on a public beach even if that dog is under restraint
by leash or otherwise within the meaning of this article.
Dogs are not allowed in cemeteries in Camden.
It shall be deemed the responsibility of the dog's owner or
keeper to pick up their dog waste whenever they are walking on sidewalks,
streets, public property and on any property other than the owner's/keeper's
property, whether it is public or private property.[1]
Any person who violates any of the provisions of this article
shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction therefor shall
be fined not less than $25 nor more than $250, and a separate offense
shall be deemed committed on each day on which the violation occurs
or continues. All fines and penalties shall be recovered on complaint
by the Town before a court of competent jurisdiction to the use of
the municipality.
All dogs residing in the Town of Camden are required to be licensed
through the Camden Town Office by December 31 of each year. Included
with the dog license will be a copy of this article and a Town map
depicting dog-friendly areas of Camden, with locations of the waste-bag
dispensers for public use.
[Approved by voter referendum 6-13-2007]
Notwithstanding any other provision herein, dogs shall be allowed
at all times on Town-owned beaches; except that, for the annual period
commencing May 1 and running through September 30, dogs may only be
allowed on Town-owned beaches during the hours from 6:00 p.m. through
8:00 a.m., and therefore shall be prohibited during the hours from
8:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m.
