Dog Control Officer

Ed Holland

Deputy Dog Control Officer: Nancy Quell – same numbers

Phone: (518) 692-2840

facebook : Nancy j quell

email:  [email protected]

165 Hartford Main Street
Municipal Building
Hartford, New York 12838

LICENSING

All dogs residing in New York State MUST be licensed. Licenses are issued at the Town Clerk’s Office and are renewed annually. On October 1, 1992, Washington County was declared a rabies county. Therefore, all dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against the rabies disease. The Town Clerk cannot issue a dog license without proof of rabies vaccination.

Local Law No. 7 of 2010 “A Local Law Setting Forth Dog Control Regulations in the Town of Hartford” went into effect on January 1, 2011.

LICENSING PROCEDURE

When your dog reaches the age of four months old, or if it has been found to be running-at-large, it is time to license your dog. Running at large means “any dog that is unleashed and on property open to the public or is on private property not owned or leased by the owner of the dog unless permission for such presence has been obtained.” Bring a current rabies vaccination certificate and proof of spaying or neutering of your dog to the Town Clerk’s Office. If you are renewing your license, please bring in the form sent to you by the Town Clerk.  Check to be sure your rabies information is current on the renewal form. If it is not, the clerk will require a new rabies certificate.

License fees are:

Spayed/Neutered Animals: $ 4.50
Unspayed or Unneutered Animals: $ 17.50

When licensing your dog for the first time, you will be given an identification tag for your dog to wear. The number on the tag will coincide with the license number on the paper license the clerk issues. Section 119 of the NYS Agriculture and Markets Law requires that your dog wear this tag for identification purposes. Failure to do so may result in issuance of a ticket, seizure of your dog and/or fines.

LOST TAGS

If your tag becomes lost, you may obtain a new tag from the Town Clerk. The fee is $ 3.00.

EXOTIC PET OWNERS

NYS Law requires the owners of exotic pets to register them with the municipal clerk in the Town in which they reside. There is no fee. This registration is required to provide for the safety of fire, emergency services and police personnel should an emergency occur at your residence.

IMPOUNDMENT FEES

If your dog is picked up the impoundment fees are as follows:
1st offense : $ 35.00 pickup fee plus $ 10.00, plus $18.00 per each additional 24 hours or part thereof.
2nd offense: $ 35.00 pickup fee plus $ 20.00, plus a fee of $3.00 and $18.00 for each additional 24 hours or part thereof.
3rd offense : $ 35.00 pickup fee plus $ 30.00, plus a fee of $3.00 and $18.00 for each additional 24 hours or part thereof.

Weekend, Legal Holidays and after 7:00 p.m.: An additional $ 25.00 will be added to the impoundment fee.

Should your dog need emergency medical attention, the Animal/Dog Control Officer will care for your animal and charge you any additional veterinary fees over the pickup costs and boarding fees.

MISSING PET OR ADOPTING A PET

You may call the shelter to see if your dog or cat has been brought to the shelter or if you are interested in adopting a new pet.

Adoption fee $ 150.00 which includes expenses.

STRAY DOGS, CATS, FERRETS

Local Law No. 7 of 2010 defines the “owner” of a dog, cat or ferret as any person who harbors by providing food or shelter and or keeps or has the care, custody or control of, or fed within such person’s house, yard or premises. Should you encounter a stray animal, contact the Animal/Dog Control Officer at 692-2840 to come and pickup the stray animal or you will be held responsible for the animal.

DOG BITES

If you are bitten by a dog or if your dog bites any person, you are required to report the incident to the Washington County Public Health Nurse (518) 746-2400. The biting dog must be quarantined for observation for ten (10) days at the owner’s expense at an appropriate facility such as a local veterinary hospital or animal shelter. The Public Health Nurse from Washington County Public Health Department will also contact the bite victim to be sure the proper medical treatment has been administered.

DANGEROUS DOGS

Local Law No. 7 of 2010 defines “dangerous dog” as meaning: “any dog that conducts itself so as to cause bodily harm and injury or to put any person in reasonable apprehension of such bodily harm and injury, or any dog which attacks, chases or worries any domestic, farm or companion animal as defined in Section 108 of the Agriculture and Markets Law.”  Should you encounter such a dog, you must contact the Washington County Public Health Nurse (518) 746-2400. The law provides that in the event of a complaint of an attack upon a person or of an attack, chase or worrying of a domestic, farm or companion animal, the Court shall immediately determine if there is probable cause to believe that the dog is a dangerous dog, and upon so finding, shall order the DCO or law enforcement officer to immediately seize the dog pending a judicial hearing conducted in accordance with Agriculture and Markets Law.

RABIES

If you encounter a possible rabid animal, contact the Washington County Public Health Nurse at (518) 746-2400 to obtain instructions on handling the animal. For nuisance wildlife assistance, you may contact the Dog Control Officer at 692-2840. He will remove the animal at your expense and he is licensed to handle nuisance wildlife.

ATTENTION CAT AND FERRET OWNERS

NYS Law requires that all cats and domesticated ferrets be vaccinated against the rabies disease. If your cat or ferret is missing, please contact the Dog Control Officer at 692-2840. If you think your cat may have been injured by a car, you may also contact the Dog Control Officer or Police to see if a report of an injured cat has been logged. Failure to keep your animals’ rabies vaccinations up to date may result in a fine not to exceed $ 200.00 for each offense.

IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR ALL RESIDENTS

Denise Petteys RMC, Hartford Town Clerk – (518) 632-9151
Ed Holland (Dog Control Officer) – 692-2840
Washington County Sheriff – (518) 747-4623
Washington County Public Health Nurse – (518) 746-2400
Hartford Justice Court – (518) 632-9274