GREENE – Dog owners braved stormy weather Monday night to speak against a revised barking dog ordinance that gives the animal control officer more enforcement power.
Resident and dog owner Rick Valentine called the proposed ordinance unfair.
“If there is a problem with noise, then that should be the issue,” he said. “Greene is rural. It has crickets, frogs and distant dog barking.”
When selectmen were asked why the board was getting involved in an issue that could be remedied by neighbors, they said the current ordinance gives the animal officer nowhere to turn if neighbors can’t resolve disputes themselves.
“We need to put some tools in our animal control officer’s hands,” Selectman Timothy Doyle said. “Our current ordinance we have is too weak and unenforceable.”
Some residents petitioned the town to resolve the matter, and selectmen held two hearings before drafting revisions to present to voters at the annual town meeting March 4.
Greene kennel owner Jan Kippax said he has spent thousands of dollars soundproofing his kennel and thousands more in legal fees to comply with the current ordinance and answer neighbors’ complaints about his home-based business.
“I feel now that all that time and money spent, proving that I had good faith, has been lost with this proposed ordinance,” he said. “Why are barking dogs so focused on, and why couldn’t we decide to create an overall noise ordinance to cover a number of things?”
Chairman Ron Grant said an ordinance must be drafted and posted within a certain time to make the warrant so it was decided to focus mainly on the barking dog ordinance, not a more comprehensive law governing noise levels.
“It all comes down to town meeting and what the voters decide they want to do,” Grant said.
The ordinance is at the municipal building and describes the animal officer’s steps to investigate and resolve a barking dog complaint. It also states that barking dogs are declared to be a public nuisance and give the animal officer authority to issue a written warning before other legal actions are taken.
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