TOWN OF BELMONT
ANIMAL CONTROL BY-LAW
Section 20.11 No person shall own or keep a dog or cat, four months of age or older, within the Town unless a license for such dog or cat is obtained from the Town Clerk. The licensing period shall be from January 1st through December 31st, except that license renewals must occur by March 15th of each year. License fees shall be established from time to time by the Town Clerk, provided that a discounted fee, which shall be at least 25 percent less than the fee otherwise established, shall be established for dogs and cats owned or kept by residents who are 60 or older. Not more than three dogs over four months of age shall be kept in any household. The provisions of this Section 20.11 shall not apply to veterinary establishments that are subject to kennel licensing. All dogs and cats
are required to wear their license tags at all times.
Section 20.11.1 No dog or cat shall be licensed unless a valid rabies vaccination certificate is presented to the Town Clerk at the time of licensing.
Section 20.11.2 No dog or cat six months of age or older shall be licensed unless there is presented to the Town Clerk at the time of licensing either
(a) Proof that the dog or cat has been spayed or neutered, or
(b) A statement signed by a veterinarian stating a reason why spaying or
neutering has been delayed, or
c) A statement signed by the owner or keeper of the dog or cat that a decision has been made not to spay or neuter the dog or cat.
Section 20.11.3 A special breeder's license shall be obtained for any dog or cat with respect to which a statement is presented that a decision has been made not to spay or neuter. The fee for such a breeder's license shall be $25.00 for each dog or cat and such fee shall be in addition to the fee imposed pursuant to this Section 20.11.
Section 20.11.4 The owner of any dog or cat that is sold or given away, or whose custody is otherwise transferred, to any other resident of the Town shall obtain from the Town Clerk and furnish to such other resident a copy of this Section 20.11 of the General By-Laws or a summary thereof.
Section 20.11.5 No person shall own or keep in the Town any dog, cat or other household pets which by biting, barking, howling, scratching or crying, or in any other manner, disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood, destroys private property or endangers the safety of any person.
Section 20.11.6 No person who owns keeps or controls a dog shall allow the dog to run free when not restricted to the premises of said person. When off premises, such dogs shall be leashed and curbed.
Section 20.11.7 Each person who owns, keeps or controls a dog within the Town shall remove and dispose of any feces left by such dog on any sidewalk, street, park or other public area, or on any private property which is not owned or occupied by such person.
Section 20.11.8 No person who owns, keeps or controls a dog within the Town shall permit such dog to be on any sidewalk, street, park or other public area unless such dog is accompanied by a person carrying a device which is suitable for picking up and containing feces, unexposed to such person and to the general public.
Section 20.11.9 For purposes of Section 20.11.7, feces may only be disposed of at a place suitable and regularly reserved for the disposal of human feces or otherwise designated as appropriate by the Board of Health.
Section 20.11.10 Sections 20.11.7, 20.11.8 and 20.11.9 shall not apply to a dog accompanying any handicapped person who, by reason of a handicap, is physically unable to comply with the requirements of such sections.
Section 20.11.11 No person within the Town shall possess, maintain, propagate, cultivate or deal in wild or exotic animals within the meaning of Chapter 131, Section 23, of the General Laws unless notice thereof has been filed with the Board of Health and permits required by said Section 23 or otherwise have been obtained.
Section 20.11.12 No person within the town shall feed any wild animals, including without limitation ducks, geese and raccoons, or any homeless dogs or cats, except birds through free standing bird feeders or bird feeders attached to a private residence. Persons feeding their own domestic animals shall do so only in a sheltered space inaccessible to wild or roaming animals. This Section 20.11.12 shall not apply to the feeding of homeless dogs or cats if done in a sheltered place inaccessible to wild or roaming animals with the express purpose of befriending the dog or cat in order later to have it vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and ultimately adopted.
Section 20.11.13 All bites by dogs, cats, other domestic animals or wild or exotic animals shall be reported to the Board of Health as soon as possible by the person bitten or by the owner or keeper of the animal, or both. Any person who owns keeps or controls any dog which has been involved in two biting incidents will be required to appear before the Board of Health at a time and place determined by the Board. In the event that a dog is involved in a third biting incident, the Board of Health will petition the Board of Selectmen for a hearing. Whenever any dog attacks and causes serious injury to a person, or kills another domestic animal, it will be considered vicious and the Board of Health will petition the Board of Selectmen for a hearing and
will recommend euthanasia.
Section 20.11.14 The operator of a motor vehicle that strikes and injures or kills a dog or cat within the Town shall report such incident to the owner or keeper of such dog or cat or to a police officer of the Town.
Section 20.11.15 Except as the Board of Health may otherwise permit, no dogs will be allowed in the following areas of the Town: all cemetery land, all public school playgrounds and athletic fields and all recreation department playgrounds and athletic fields, nor will any dog be allowed inside food establishments, retail businesses or public buildings.
Section 20.11.16 Violations of this Section 20.11 shall be disposed of, in the discretion of the Board of Health, either in the manner provided in Section 8.5 of the General By-laws, or if applicable, pursuant to the provisions of Section 173A of Chapter 140 of the General Laws. A non-criminal citation will be issued on the following schedule: First offense-- written warning; Second offense-- $25; third offense and each succeeding offense of the same section of the By-Law occurring within a 12 month period--$50.The fine specified in the preceding sentence shall be in lieu of the schedule of fines specified in Section 173A.
NUISANCE CONTROL REGULATIONS
Section 3:
d. Owners of dogs are responsible for removing dog feces from their own property at least twice per week, putting it in paper or plastic bags, and disposing of it in their own household trash put out for curbside pick-up. All common yard areas serving apartment buildings and condominiums shall be considered public property and subject to Town by-law, Section 20.11.7 and 20.11.8, stating dog feces must be removed immediately.
DOG AND CAT LICENSING
A license to have a dog or cat in the Town of Belmont must be obtained each year prior to March 15th. A license application is mailed with the annual census each December and licenses can be obtained through the mail or in person through the Town Clerk's Office in the main Town Hall. A current valid rabies certificate, a statement of whether the animal has been spayed or neutered, and a license fee is required. A $25.00 additional fee is charged for animals that have not been spayed or neutered. This extra fee is to promote spaying and neutering to reduce animal over-population. Individuals over the age of 60 are charged 25 percent less per animal. The Health Department can provide referrals for low-cost spaying and neutering when requested. A rabies clinic is offered by the Health
Department in the spring to help residents meet this requirement.
LOCATING A LOST PET
If your pet is missing, DO NOT DELAY. Call the Animal Control Officer or the Police Department as soon as possible. Go door to door in case a neighbor has accidentally closed your pet in his/her garage. Place an ad, put up posters and offer a reward if possible. Calls to those same departments in surrounding towns should also be made. Pets can wander a long way from home! Local newspapers often list both lost and found animals, so also look in the most recent editions for those ads. Owners should attempt to find their pets immediately and not wait very long for them to return.
REPORTING ANIMAL BITES
All animal bites, from pets or wildlife, must be reported to the Health Department as soon as possible, so that the biting animal can be located and examined to determine its health. During non-business hours, the Police Department should be called. The Police will know how to contact appropriate health officials if necessary. A dog or cat that has bitten someone will be quarantined for 10 days, usually at the owner's home, if the animal has a current rabies vaccination. If the animal is not licensed, it will be quarantined at the pound at the discretion of the Animal Control Officer. A biting wild animal, if caught, will be euthanized and tested for rabies. Unvaccinated pets that are bitten by wild animals that cannot be caught are quarantined for six months or it will be recommended
that they be euthanized depending on the circumstances. Humans who have been bitten by any type of animal should wash the affected area with soap and warm water for at least 10 minutes and then seek medical care. Depending on the exposure level, rabies vaccinations may be advised. Bites received from wild animals that normally shy away from humans are most suspect for rabies.
BOARD OF HEALTH
David B. Alper, D.P.M.
Donna S. David, R.N., M.N.
Robert M. Eisendrath, M.D.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT STAFF
Director of Health |
Stefan Russakow, M.A., R.S. |
Assistant Director |
Angela Braun, R.S. |
Administrative Assistant |
Ellen O'Doherty |
Youth & Family Service Coordinator |
Janet Amdur, LICSW, EdM |
Animal Control Officer |
John Maguranis |
Public Health Nurse |
David Neylon, RN |
IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS
Animal Control |
617-993-2724 |
Animal Rescue League |
617-426-9170 |
Belmont Police |
911 |
Non-emergency |
617-993-2501 |
Health Department |
617-993-2720 |
Cambridge District Court |
781-306-2715 |
Highway Department |
617-993-2680 |
Town Clerk-Licensing |
617-993-2600 |
MSPCA |
617-522-7400 |
Law Enforcement |
617-522-6008 |
Shelter |
617-522-5055 |
EMERGENCIES (After Hours)
Acton Animal Emergency Care |
978-263-1742 |
Angel Memorial Hospital (5pm to 8am; 24 hours on weekends) |
617-522-7282 |
Tufts School of Veterinary Medicine |
508-839-5395 |
Veterinary Emergency Center 1299 Highland Ave., Needham, MA |
781-453-0143 |
|
|
August 2010
617-993-2724
John Maguranis
Animal Control Officer
| 
