Animal control issues dog Cambridge village

Monday August 6, 2012

ZEKE WRIGHT

Staff Writer

CAMBRIDGE, N.Y. -- Confusion has set in over dog control in Cambridge after the village terminated its contract for services earlier this year.

Village officials say residents of the village were previously effectively paying twice for the same service, when both the towns and village contracted for dog control with the same individual. Trustees argued that those residing in the village ought to be provided the service as tax-paying residents of their respective towns.

But Ed Holland, dog control officer for the towns of White Creek and Cambridge, said he is unable to respond to nuisance complaints in the village, as such complaints relate to local law. And without a contract, Holland said he can?t enforce village ordinances. "We have to have a contract."

The issue has aggravated local law enforcement, who are now fielding nuisance dog calls. "(We?ve) been getting tons of dog complaints," said Police Chief George Bell, who told village trustees in June that the police department was ill-equipped to respond. "I?m not a dog-sitter. ... I?m a whisperer."

"We?re paying town taxes ... and we?re paying (dog license) fees," said Mayor Stephen Robertson at that meeting June 6. "(The towns) are the ones licensing the dogs; it?s their problem."

Holland said Sunday that recent calls in the village regarding barking dogs constituted a

nuisance problem, not one with licensing. "It?s not the fact that we don?t want to (respond)," he said.

White Creek Supervisor Bob Shay said on Sunday that his town contracted with Holland for a "dog warden" to enforce licensing; not to deal with problem behavior. As to barking or at-large dogs, "that?s what the police department is for," he said; the same as if there?s a loud party next door.

"I tell people to call the police."

Shay said the village had previously contracted with White Creek for dog control services, but that agreement was dropped after the village signed its own contract directly with Holland. Shay said he had received little contact from the village, aside from one trustee and a letter, and he agreed there was miscommunication surrounding the issue. "They want to get it resolved, that?s fine, let us get it resolved."

State law weighs in

Article 7 under New York state Department of Agriculture and Markets law requires towns and cities to license dogs, and stipulates that licensing municipalities must appoint a dog control officer to control and enforce licensing. State law allows the seizure of animals that are unlicensed, not in control, or that behave aggressively.

License fees are intended to pay for those services, as of January 2011, when dog licensing law changed and shifted responsibility to towns. (The Department of Agriculture and Markets handled licensing previously.)

From 2008 until the most recent fiscal year, the village of Cambridge contracted directly with Holland, of Cossayuna.

In May, village officials notified Holland and both towns that the village would no longer be retaining an animal control officer, effective June 1. "Since the village falls in the townships of White Creek and Cambridge, any services you provide within the village limits would need to be billed to either the town of White Creek or the town of Cambridge, depending upon location of the service," the letter stated.

Calling the village its own entity, Cambridge Supervisor William "Beaver" Watkins said Sunday the town was upholding its responsibility to license dogs; however, barking nuisance canines inside the village did not violate any local law of the town of Cambridge.

As to whether the town?s officer responds to complaints in the village, "that?s between the lawyers," he said. "Let them take care of that."

In the meantime, Holland said he had been directed by both town supervisors to not respond to calls in the village unrelated to licensing.

In July and August, Bell returned to village trustees appearing increasingly frustrated.

Source: http://www.benningtonbanner.com/news/ci_21243240/animal-control-issues-dog-cambridge-village?source=rss

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