Greenfield Animal Control Officer Calin Giurgiu (413) 773-5411 OR (413) 522-3564 animalcontrol@greenfieldpd.org Obtain your 2009 dog license at the town hall  ** Penalty phase for failing to license your dog begins June 1, 2009 **        REMINDER - All dogs must be licensed by April 1   How to Obtain a Dog License Any owner or keeper of a dog six (6) months or older must license their dog annually, by April 1st. Dog licenses are available at the Town Clerk's Office beginning on March 1st. A current rabies certificate from your veterinarian must be presented to the Town Clerk's Office *. Fees $10.00 license fee for dogs not spayed or neutered. $5.00 license fee for spayed or neutered dogs **. $25.00 late fee is imposed on June 1st for unlicensed dogs. $25.00 additional late fee is imposed on July 1st for unlicensed dogs. Additional non-criminal fines may be imposed by the Animal Control Officer for violations of town ordinances. * All dogs six (6) months or older must have current rabies inoculations. ** A spay or neuter certificate from the veterinarian is required at the time of licensing, unless information was previously recorded by the town.   Bylaws: 4.7.4 Kennel Licenses: 4.7.4.1  Anyone maintaining or keeping a pack of dogs on a single premise, whether maintained for breeding, boarding, sale, training, hunting or other purposes including any shop where dogs are for sale, which are not covered under MGL c129 sec 39A, and also including every parck or collestion of more than three (3) dogs, three (3) months old or over, owned or kept by a person on a single premise irrespective of the purpose for which they are maintained shall be required to obtain a kennel license in compliance with Town Zoning Bylaws. 4.7.4.2  Inspection of kennels - upon application for a kennel license, the Animal Control Officer may inspect the facility prior to the issuance of any kennel license.  The Animal Control Officer may deny the application if the facility is not in compliance with any or all sections of  this bylaw, state law, and state regulation.  The Greenfield Animal Control Officer may at any time inspect or cause to be inspected, any kennel and if, in his/her judgement, the same is not being maintained in a sanitary and humane manner, or if records are not properly kept as required by law, the Animal Control Officer with approval of the Mayor shall revoke or suspend, and in case of suspension, may reinstate such license. 4.7.5 Rabies Vaccine: 4.7.5  All dogs six (6) months or older shall be licensed and have a current rabies inoculation as required by MGL c140 sec 137, and MGL c140 sec 145B and any subsequent amendments thereto.  When applying for a license the applicant must show proof of rabies vaccination by presenting a current rabies certificate from a veterinarian. 4.7.6. Enforcement: 4.7.6  The provisions of this bylaw shall be enforced by the Animal Control Officer and any Police Officer of said Town. 4.7.7 Control of Dogs in the Estrus Cycle: 4.7.7  If an Animal Control Officer determines tha a dog in her etrus cycle is attracting other dogs to the area, which conditions cause disturbances on, or damage to neighboring property or public areas, he/she may impound the dog for the duration of the estrus cycle, releasing it thereafter to the owner or keeper upon payment of penaltie fees, if applicable, pick up fees, confinement fees, and or other expenses icurred during the impoundment, in order to provide for the health and wellbeing of the dog.  As an alternative, an Animal Control Officer may require the owner, or keeper, place or keep such a dog, while in the estrus cycle, in a kennel or remove it from the area.  Failure to comply with the removal order of the Animal Control Officer shall be a violation of this bylaw, and the dog will then be impounded as prescribed by this bylaw. 4.7.8 No Dog Shall Disturb the Peace : 4.7.8  No person shall keep any dog which by biting, barking, howling or in any other manner disturbs the pece and quiet of the neighborhood or endangers the safety of any person. 4.7.9 Dogs at Large: 4.7.9.1 No dog shall be permitted to be unrestrained while in or near any schoolyard, public park, public playground, public building, retail store, public highway or street, or public or school recreational field or facility.  No person shall permit a dog under that person's control to defecate on any schoolyard, public place, public playground, or public school or recreational field or facility.  Furhter, no dog shall be permitted to be at large in any other public area not desgnated within this section except if: the dog is attached to a leash held by a person who is capable of controlling the dog or puppy, the dog is in a vehicle from which it cannot escape while the vehicle is driven, parked, or stopped, the dog is not more than fifty (50) feet from a person whose commands it abides to, the dog is within hundred (100) feet or within calling or whistling distance, mechanical or otherwise, for the purposes of hunting in an area where hunting is allowed and dogs are legally allowed for hunting purposes, the dog or puppy is not annoying any human or domestic animal or trespassing on private property, the dog is in a public area where dogs or puppies are allowed.  4.7.9.2  Any dog found to be at large withint the ground of any school property, public park, public playground, public building, public highway, or street, or public or recreational field or facility, retail store, apartment or commercial building, of the Town of Greenfield except as allowed in Section 4.7.9.1 shall be apprehended and confined by the Animal Control Officer and/or Police Officers who shall notify forthwith the licensed owner or keeper of said dog, giving the said owner or keeper a period of seven (7) days within which to recover the dog. 4.7.9.3  The Animal Control Officer or his/her agent having custody of a dog confined under this bylaw shall be allowed the sum of fifteen dollars ($15.00) per day of confinement for the care of such dog, payable by the owner or keeper to the Animal Control Officer or his/her agent before retrieval of such dog shall be allowed. 4.7.9.4  For each and every dog picked up, the Animal Control Officer or his/her agent shall be entitled to a pickup fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) for the first occurrence, twenty dollars ($20.00) for the second, thirty dollars ($30.00) for the third and fifty ($50.00) for the fourth occurrence in any one calendar year. 4.7.9.5  No person owning or keeping a dog shall permit such dog to be at large elsewhere than on the premises of the owner or keeper, except if it be on the premises of another person with the permission of such other person.  Such owner or keeper of the dog, which is not on the premises of the owner, or upon the premises of another person with the permission of such other person shall restrain such dog with a chain or leash not exceeding eight (8) feet in length.  No dog or puppy may be restrained by a fixed point chain or tether for more than eight (8) hours in a twenty-four (24) hour period.  Any tethering employed shall not allow the dog or puppy to leave the owers or keepers property.  No chain or tether shall wigh more than one-eighth (1/8) of the dog or puppy's body weight.  Any chain or tether used must be attached to a properly fitting collar or harness worn by the animal. Exceptions: the dog is attached to a leash held by a person who is capable of controlling the dog or puppy, the dog is in a vehicle from which it cannot escape while the vehicle is driven, parked, or stopped, the dog is not more than fifty (50) feet from a person whose commands it abides to, the dog is within hundred (100) feet or within calling or whistling distance, mechanical or otherwise, for the purposes of hunting in an area where hunting is allowed and dogs are legally allowed for hunting purposes, the dog or puppy is not annoying any human or domestic animal or trespassing on private property, the dog is in a public area where dogs or puppies are allowed.  These exceptions shall apply to public parks and recreatinal fields designated by the Town of Greenfield allowing dogs to be off leash. 4.7.9.6  In any prosecution hereunder, the presence of such dog at large upon premises other than the premises of the owner or keeper of such dog shall be prima facie evidence that such permission was not obtained. 4.7.10 Prohibits Animal Abuse and Neglect: 4.7.10.1  It is unlawful for any  person to own, keep or use, or be in any manner connected with, or financially interested in, the management of, or to receive money or other things of value for the admission of any person to, a house, apartment, pit or place procured or permitted to be used or occupied for baiting or fighting between animals, or in aid of or calculated to encourage or further any fight between animals. 4.7.10.2  Except where indicated for the health or welfare of a dog or puppy, the owner or keeper of such dog or puppy, shall provide it with adequate, clean, fresh and wholesome food and water supplied at least once every twenty-foru (24) hours.  Food and water containers shall be kept clean.  Outside shelter shall be provided and shall be constructed so as to give full protection from the elements of weather and to the extremes of hear or cold. 4.7.11 Prohibits Dog Waste Excretion on Public Ways: 4.7.11  It shall be unlawful for the owner or person having care, custody or control of a dog or puppy to permit, either willfully or through failure to exercise due care or contril of such animal, any animal to excrete any solid waste upon any sidewalk, any public street or public park, or to excrete any solid waste upon any real property under the control or in the possession of any other person, or upon any place to which the public has normal access or right of ingress or egress, provided further, that no violation of this section shall occur if the owner of the offending animal promptly and voluntarily removes the animal waste. 4.7.12 Motor Vehicle Operator Responsibilities for Striking Domestic Animals: 4.7.12  Any motor vehicle operator, who knowingly strikes a domesticated animal must immediately stop and make an attempt to make oneself known to animal owner.  If unable to locate owner, motor vehicle operator shall notify the animal control officer and or the police department within twenty-four (24) hours. 4.7.13 Failure to Comply:  4.7.13.1  Whoever shall offend against or fail to comply with any of the provisions of these By-laws shall, unless some other penalty is provided by law or by a by-law of the Town, for each and every offense forfeit and pay a penalty of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and not more than three hundred dollars ($300.00), all pursuant to MGL c40 sec 21D.  All fines recovered under this section shall ensure to the benefit the Town.

Law Updates

Crimes and Punishments. Chapter 272. Crimes Against Chastity, Morality, Decency and Good Order.   Citation: M.G.L.A. 272 § 77 - 95 Summary:   These Massachusetts laws contain the state's anti-cruelty provisions.  § 77 is the operative anti-cruelty statute and provides that whoever overdrives, overloads, drives when overloaded, overworks, tortures, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, cruelly beats, mutilates or kills an animal, and whoever uses in a cruel or inhuman manner in a race, game, or contest, or in training, as lure or bait a live animal (except as bait in fishing), or knowingly and willfully authorizes or permits it to be subjected to unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years or imprisonment for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not more than $2,500, or by both such fine and imprisonment.  Also prohibitions include the dying of baby chicks, the docking of horse tails, and both felony and misdemeanor penalties for animal fighting, depending on conduct. Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 272 § 77. Cruelty to animals Whoever overdrives, overloads, drives when overloaded, overworks, tortures, torments, deprives of necessary sustenance, cruelly beats, mutilates or kills an animal, or causes or procures an animal to be overdriven, overloaded, driven when overloaded, overworked, tortured, tormented, deprived of necessary sustenance, cruelly beaten, mutilated or killed; and whoever uses in a cruel or inhuman manner in a race, game, or contest, or in training therefor, as lure or bait a live animal, except an animal if used as lure or bait in fishing; and whoever, having the charge or custody of an animal, either as owner or otherwise, inflicts unnecessary cruelty upon it, or unnecessarily fails to provide it with proper food, drink, shelter, sanitary environment, or protection from the weather, and whoever, as owner, possessor, or person having the charge or custody of an animal, cruelly drives or works it when unfit for labor, or willfully abandons it, or carries it or causes it to be carried in or upon a vehicle, or otherwise, in an unnecessarily cruel or inhuman manner or in a way and manner which might endanger the animal carried thereon, or knowingly and willfully authorizes or permits it to be subjected to unnecessary torture, suffering or cruelty of any kind shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 5 years or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2 1/2 years or by a fine of not more than $2,500, or by both such fine and imprisonment. In addition to any other penalty provided by law, upon conviction for any violation of this section or of sections seventy-seven A, seventy-eight, seventy-eight A, seventy-nine A, seventy-nine B, eighty A, eighty B, eighty C, eighty D, eighty F, eighty-six, eighty-six A, eighty-six B or ninety-four the defendant may, after an appropriate hearing to determine the defendant's fitness for continued custody of the abused animal, be ordered to surrender or forfeit to the custody of any society, incorporated under the laws of the commonwealth for the prevention of cruelty to animals or for the care and protection of homeless or suffering animals, the animal whose treatment was the basis of such conviction. Amended by St.1968, c. 59; St.1972, c. 46; St.1977, c. 679; St.1977, c. 921, § 2; St.1984, c. 50; St.1986, c. 337; St.1989, c. 534; St.2004, c. 319, § 4, eff. Nov. 17, 2004. Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 272 § 77A. Willfully injuring police dogs and horses Whoever willfully tortures, torments, beats, kicks, strikes, mutilates, injures, disables or otherwise mistreats, a dog or horse owned by a police department or police agency of the commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions or whoever, willfully by any action whatsoever, interferes with the lawful performance of such dog or horse shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars and not more than five hundred dollars or by imprisonment for not more than two and one-half years or both. Persons violating this section may be arrested without a warrant by any officer qualified to serve criminal process provided said offense is committed in his presence. Added by St.1978, c. 287.

Rabies Information Rabies is a viral disease which affects all mammals.  It is usually contracted through a bite from an infected animal, through transmission can occur if the virus is introduced onto any mucous membrane (eyes, nose, mouth).  The time it takes the virus to go from the bite wound to the brain is the Incubation Period.  The incubation period can range anywhere from two (2) weeks to several months.  The average incubation period for dogs and cats is about two (2) months.  As soon as the virus reaches the brain it works its way into the salivary glands where it replicates in abundance and is shed in the saliva.  At this point the animal becomes infectious and can transmit the disease through a bite.  There is a period of about three (3) days that the animal will be actively shedding the virus but will not appear to be sick in any way. After this three (3) day period , the virus in the brain has infected enough of the brain tissue that it begins to affect the animal's behavior.  Symptoms of rabies may include unexplained aggresson, impaired locomotion, varying degrees of paralysis, and extreme depression or viciousness. Prevention Tips: Always keep your pets rabies vaccination up to date.  Dogs, cats and ferrets are required by law to be vaccinated for rabies. Do not attract wild animals to your house by feeding pets outside - make sure trash cans are secured with lids. Report all wildlife acting sick or disoriented to your Town Animal Control Officer. Never touch wildlife (dead or alive) with your bare hands.  In you must handle these animals, use heavy gloves or a shovel. If your pet has an encounter with a wild animal, it's best not to handle your pet for a few hours.  DO NOT attend to your pet with bare hands.  Rabies virus could still be present on your pets fur.  Report all exposure incidents to your Veterianarian and you Animal Control Officer.  If your pet is not vaccinated it could pose a threat to you or your family.   Click on "Next" to see more information