Jul 3, 2007
Who let the dog warden out?
Animal control officer looks for unlicensed dogs
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by PATRICIA GAY
There are an estimated 1,700 dogs in Weston, and about 1,000 aren’t legal.
Not legally licensed anyway, according to Weston’s Animal Control Officer, Mark Harper.
By the end of each June, all dogs in Weston are required by state law to be licensed with the town clerk. At the close of the month, only about 700 licenses have been issued — far less than the number of dogs believed to be in town.
Donna Anastasia, town clerk, is urging all canine owners to license their pet pooches as soon as possible — otherwise they risk “being in the doghouse” with Mr. Harper.
That’s because starting in September, Mr. Harper said he plans to conduct a search for unlicensed dogs and may come “a knocking” on some Weston doors.
“We’ll give everyone a couple months to get their dogs licensed, but if they don’t — I might be stopping by,” Mr. Harper said.
State directive
Mr. Harper’s directive to conduct a search for unlicensed dogs comes from a memorandum he received some time ago from F. Philip Prelli of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.
The memo states: “As you know, each town is charged... with the responsibility of licensing dogs annually by July 1 and of conducting a diligent search thereafter for any unlicensed dogs. I am writing you at this time to stress to you the importance of conducting that search without delay.”
Mr. Harper said the chief reason for ensuring that all dogs are licensed is to help prevent the spread of rabies. As part of the licensing process, a rabies vaccination is required.
“We’ve seen a lot of rabies, especially in raccoons,” Mr. Harper said. He recalled an incident on March 31, where a rabid raccoon attacked a dog on Old Orchard Drive after terrorizing children at an outdoor party.
Rabies is a viral disease that affects humans as well as animals, and if left untreated, is 100% fatal. It is spread primarily by raccoons, but can also be transmitted by skunks, woodchucks, foxes, and bats. It can even be transmitted by dogs and cats.
Transmission of the rabies virus usually begins when the infected saliva of a host is passed to an uninfected animal. Once the virus is in the body, it spreads through the nerves to the spinal cord and brain.
“Rabies vaccination of pets has become increasingly important with the high incidence of animal rabies in the state. Pets, if not protected from rabies, can serve as a vector in the transmission of this fatal disease to humans,” Mr. Prelli’s memo states.
Search process
If, by Sept. 1, there are still a large number of suspected unlicensed dogs, there is a procedure set forth by the state to conduct a search.
First, the chief elected official in town (in Weston that would be First Selectman Woody Bliss) needs to inform the commissioner of agriculture about the search.
Then a list of delinquent dog licenses will be given to the dog warden — (animal control officer) by the town clerk.
The dog warden will contact by telephone, mail, or in person those individuals on the list to notify them of their delinquent status and requirement to license their dogs.
Next, a door-to-door search and survey will be conducted within the town by the dog warden.
Owners will be hit with fines for any dogs that are not licensed.
“There is a $75 penalty per dog for each unlicensed dog,” Mr. Harper said. In addition, if the dog is not inoculated for rabies, there is a $136 fine, he said.
In addition to the fiscal liability, Mr. Harper said there are other good reasons for licensing the dog.
“If the dog is involved with an animal suspected of having rabies, and it isn’t current on its rabies shots, it has to be quarantined in an animal hospital for six months at the owner’s expense,” he said.
If the dog is current on its shots, it just needs to be spend a few weeks confined at home.
License the dog
Of course, all those hassles can be avoided if owners license their dogs, Ms. Anastasia said.
The town clerk’s office tries to make it as easy as possible for dog owners to renew their licenses, she said.
“Dog owners can renew their licenses at the town clerk’s office or they can mail them in,” she said.
She said some people may think that once a dog has had a rabies inoculation it is automatically licensed. “That’s not the case; dogs are only licensed through the town clerk’s office,” she said.
On June 1, new tags were issued as proof of licensing. The licenses are valid through June 30, 2008, and must be renewed every year.
Dog licenses are available at the town clerk’s office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The cost is $8 for neutered or spayed dogs (certificate required), and $19 for those not neutered or spayed. Proof of rabies inoculation is required, if not already on file with the town clerk.
If the dog is current on its rabies shots, the dog can be licensed with the town clerk’s office through the mail without submitting proof.
Ms. Anastasia also asks dog owners to let her office know if they are moving or if something happens to the dog, so her office can update its records.
“It costs a lot less to license the dog now than pay those penalties later,” Ms. Anastasia said.
“And it will save you a visit from me,” Mr. Harper said.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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