[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Greenwich 12-14-2010 by L.L. No.
3-2010. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Town Board of the Town of Greenwich finds that the running
at large and other uncontrolled behavior of licensed and unlicensed
dogs has caused physical harm to persons and damage to property and
has created nuisances within the Town. The purpose of this chapter
is to protect the health, safety and welfare of its people by enforcing
regulations and restrictions on the activities of dogs that are consistent
with the rights and privileges of dog owners and the rights and privileges
of other citizens of the Town of Greenwich.
This chapter is enacted pursuant to the provisions of Article
7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law and the Municipal Home Rule Law
of the State of New York, as amended by Part T of Chapter 59 of the
Laws of 2010, and as may be subsequently amended and supplemented.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Dog Control
Law of the Town of Greenwich."
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the
following respective meanings:
Male and female, licensed and unlicensed, members of the
species canis familiaris.
A person or persons appointed by the Town for the purpose
of enforcement of this chapter.
The amount, in addition to license fees, charged for each
unlicensed dog during the enumeration period.
[Added 11-7-2012 by L.L. No. 4-2012]
The 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 Town Clerk and 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 in, brought
into or comes within the Town. Any person owning or harboring a dog
for a period of one week prior to the filing of any complaint charging
a violation of this chapter shall be held and deemed to be owner of
such dog for the purpose of this chapter. In the event that the owner
of any dog found to be in violation of this chapter shall be under
18 years of age, the head of the household in which said minor resides
shall be deemed to have custody and control of said dog and shall
be responsible for any acts of the said dog in violation of this chapter.
Off the premises of the owner.
The Town of Greenwich.
It shall be unlawful for any owner of any dog in the Town to
permit or allow such dog to:
A.
Run at large unless the dog is accompanied by its owner or a responsible
person and under the full control of such owner or person. For the
purpose of the chapter, a dog or dogs hunting in the company of a
hunter or hunters shall be considered as accompanied by its owner.
B.
Engage in habitual howling, barking, crying or whining or conduct
as to unreasonably and habitually disturb the comfort of any person
other than the owner of such dog.
C.
Cause damage or destruction to public or private property, defecate,
urinate or otherwise commit a nuisance upon the property of other
than the owner or harborer of the dog.
D.
Chase, jump upon or at, or otherwise harass any person in such manner
as to reasonably cause intimidation or fear or to put such person
in reasonable apprehension of bodily harm.
E.
Habitually chase, run alongside of or bark at motor vehicles, motorcycles
or bicycles while on a public street, highway, or place, or upon private
property without the consent or approval of the owner of such property.
F.
If a female dog, when in heat, be off the owner's premises,
unrestrained by a leash.
A.
License required. All dogs in the Town of Greenwich shall be licensed
with the Town Clerk by the age of four months, and any person applying
for a dog license shall present a current certificate of rabies vaccination
at the time of making application for a license or for the renewal
of an existing license.
B.
Expiration of license. All dog licenses shall be valid for a period
of one year and shall expire at the end of the month one year from
the date of issuance.
E.
Purebred license. The Town of Greenwich shall not issue purebred
or kennel licenses. All dogs shall be licensed individually in accordance
with the fees stated above.
F.
Service dogs. The Town of Greenwich shall require a license for any
guide dog, service dog, hearing dog or detection dog; however, the
license fee will be waived for such dogs as those terms are defined
by Article 7 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.
G.
Shelters. The Town of Greenwich does not allow the licensing of dogs
by a shelter. The shelter shall send all dog owners to the Clerk of
the town or city in which the dog will be harbored for licensing.
H.
All dog licenses shall be purchased in person at the Town Clerk's
office or by regular mail. If licensing or renewing a license by mail,
the appropriate fee shall accompany the forms. There shall be no refund
of fees.
I.
All fees shall be used in funding the administration of the Dog Control
Law of the Town of Greenwich.
The Dog Control Officer, or any peace officer, shall seize any unlicensed dog, whether on or off the owner's premises, and/or any dog not wearing a tag, not identified and not on the owner's premises as well as any dog found in violation of Subsections A through F of § 100-5 of this chapter.
A.
Each dog seized, which is not identified, whether or not licensed,
shall be held in the shelter used by the Town, for a period of at
least five days from the day seized, during which period the dog may
be redeemed by its owner.
B.
Each dog seized that is wearing an identification number, the owner
shall be promptly notified either in person or by certified mail.
If the owner is notified in person, the dog shall be held for a period
of 10 days from the day seized, during which period the dog may be
redeemed by its owner. If notified by certified mail, the dog shall
be held for a period of 15 days from the day the certified mail was
sent, during which period the dog may be redeemed by its owner.
C.
Prior to releasing a dog to its owner or adopting out a dog, the Dog Control Officer or the shelter shall deliver to the owner a statement of number of days the dog has been in the shelter and the costs for any veterinary care, which statement the owner shall take to the Greenwich Town Clerk, to whom all fees due and owing for the shelter and veterinary care shall be paid, together with the seizure and impoundment fees pursuant to Subsection D below and any licensing fees, whereupon the Town Clerk shall give a receipt to the owner who shall then deliver it to Dog Control Officer or the shelter, at which time such dog may be released to the owner.
E.
If not redeemed, the owner shall forfeit all title to the dog, and
it shall be released for adoption or euthanasia.
Upon taking custody of any animal, the Dog Control Officer,
or any peace officer, shall make a record of the matter. The record
shall include date of pickup, breed, general description, sex, identification
numbers, time of pickup, location where seized and name and address
of owner, if any.
A.
The Dog Control Officer of the Town of Greenwich shall, and all peace
officers may, administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter
and for that purpose shall have the authority to issue appearance
tickets and to seize dogs, either on or off the owner's premises,
if witnessed to be in violation of this chapter.
