Proposed “An Ordinance Regarding Control of Dogs in Parks & Recreation Areas, School Property and the Historic District”
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AGENDA ACTION ITEM Meeting Date: Staff Contact: Roxanne Maher, Admin Assistant Department: Ledyard Town Council Subject: Proposed “An Ordinance Regarding Control of Dogs in Parks & Recreation Areas, School Property And The Historic District” as contained in the draft dated October 7, 2019. Background Information: There were instances where dogs that were on a leash at the Nathan Lester House were attacked by a dog that was with its owner, but not on a leash and an instance where a dog was attacked by a dog on a retractable leash. For public safety, the draft Ordinance has been proposed. DRAFT: 10/7/2019 Ordinance: #________ AN ORDINANCE REGARDING CONTROL OF DOGS IN PARKS & RECREATION AREAS, SCHOOL PROPERTY AND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT Be it ordained by the Town Council of the Town of Ledyard Section 1. Purpose The purpose of this Ordinance is to provide regulations regarding the restraint, control and leashing of dogs or other domestic animals for the welfare and safety on all public lands including any park, beach, field, or other recreation area under the control of the Ledyard Department of Parks and Recreation, or at any school property under the control of the Ledyard Board of Education or at any Historic District property under the control of the Ledyard Historic District Commission or any open space property under the control of the Town of Ledyard. Section 2. Authority In accordance with Connecticut General Statute 22-364: (1) A dog’s owner or keeper must not allow their dog to roam on another person's land or on a public highway, including sidewalks, if it is not under their control. (2) Local government may create a Leash Ordinance. (3) Violating the State roaming law is an infraction punishable by law. Section 3. Requirements on Public Property Any person having charge, custody or control of any dog or domestic animal shall: (1) Keep their dog or domestic animal on a leash and restrained at all times, while on public lands; and insure that the animal does not roam or run unrestrained. Those on retractable leashes must keep the leash to less than ten (10) feet from the person having charge of the animal. (2) Prevent their animal from biting or injuring any animal or person. (3) Prevent their animal from damaging or destroying public property or property other than its owner's private property. (4) Be liable if the animal does any damage to either to the body of or property of any person, or other animal. Section 4. Violations (1) Violating the state roaming law is an infraction punishable by a fine of $92.00 (CGS § 22- 364). (2) Any person violating this Ordinance shall also be subject to immediate removal from the area, park or district and be subject to denial of future entry into any park and recreation area under the control of the Parks and Recreation Commission, school property or Historic District. (3) The Mayor shall designate in writing one or more Town Officials, employees or agents empowered to take enforcement action authorized by this Ordinance. Section 5. Severability. If any section, or part of a section, of this Ordinance shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such holding shall not be deemed to invalidate the remaining provisions hereof. Section 6 Effective Date This Ordinance shall take effect on the twenty-first (21st) day after publication in accordance with Chapter III, Section 5 of the Charter of the Town of Ledyard. Adopted by the Town Council on: ___________ ________________________ Linda C. Davis, Chairman Approved / Disapproved on: _________ ________________________ Fred Allyn, III., Mayor Published on: ___________________ Effective Date: ________________ ________________________ Patricia A. Riley, Town Clerk ****************************************************************** History: There were instances where dogs that were on a leash at the Nathan Lester House were attacked by a dog that was with its owner, but not on a leash and an instance where a dog was attacked by a dog on a retractable leash. For public safety, this Ordinance was enacted. Recommendation(s): Attachments: Ordinance Leash Laws -Parks-Schools-Historic Property-DRAFT-2019-10-07 CGS Chapter 98- Dog Leash Ordianncepdf Connecitcut Leash and Dog Bite Law Dog Leash Ordinance Search Dog Leash proposed Ordinance-Kloiber-2019-07-01 Leash Law Ordinance-Virginia Proposed Dog Leash & Waste Removal Ordiannce - Burton-Dombrowski E-Mial thread -2019-07-14pdf ACO E-mail Roaming StatuteTicket for Lease Ordinance-2019-11-05 DRAFT: 10/7/2019 Ordinance: #________ AN ORDINANCE REGARDING CONTROL OF DOGS IN PARKS & RECREATION AREAS, SCHOOL PROPERTY AND THE HISTORIC DISTRICT Be it ordained by the Town Council of the Town of Ledyard Section 1. Purpose The purpose of this Ordinance is to provide regulations regarding the restraint, control and leashing of dogs or other domestic animals for the welfare and safety on all public lands including any park, beach, field, or other recreation area under the control of the Ledyard Department of Parks and Recreation, or at any school property under the control of the Ledyard Board of Education or at any Historic District property under the control of the Ledyard Historic District Commission or any open space property under the control of the Town of Ledyard. Section 2. Authority In accordance with Connecticut General Statute 22-364: (1) A dog’s owner or keeper must not allow their dog to roam on another person's land or on a public highway, including sidewalks, if it is not under their control. (2) Local government may create a Leash Ordinance. (3) Violating the State roaming law is an infraction punishable by law. Section 3. Requirements on Public Property Any person having charge, custody or control of any dog or domestic animal shall: (1) Keep their dog or domestic animal on a leash and restrained at all times, while on public lands; and insure that the animal does not roam or run unrestrained. Those on retractable leashes must keep the leash to less than ten (10) feet from the person having charge of the animal. (2) Prevent their animal from biting or injuring any animal or person. (3) Prevent their animal from damaging or destroying public property or property other than its owner's private property. (4) Be liable if the animal does any damage to either to the body of or property of any person, or other animal. An Ordinance Regarding Control of Dogs in Parks & Recreation Areas, School Property and the Historic District Page 1 of 2 Submitted to T. Clerk’s Office on: /rm Section 4. Violations (1) Violating the state roaming law is an infraction punishable by a fine of $92.00 (CGS § 22-364). (2) Any person violating this Ordinance shall also be subject to immediate removal from the area, park or district and be subject to denial of future entry into any park and recreation area under the control of the Parks and Recreation Commission, school property or Historic District. (3) The Mayor shall designate in writing one or more Town Officials, employees or agents empowered to take enforcement action authorized by this Ordinance. Section 5. Severability. If any section, or part of a section, of this Ordinance shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such holding shall not be deemed to invalidate the remaining provisions hereof. Section 6. Effective Date This Ordinance shall take effect on the twenty-first (21st) day after publication in accordance with Chapter III, Section 5 of the Charter of the Town of Ledyard. Adopted by the Town Council on: ___________ ________________________ Linda C. Davis, Chairman Approved / Disapproved on: _________ ________________________ Fred Allyn, III., Mayor Published on: ___________________ Effective Date: ________________ ________________________ Patricia A. Riley, Town Clerk ****************************************************************** History: There were instances where dogs that were on a leash at the Nathan Lester House were attacked by a dog that was with its owner, but not on a leash and an instance where a dog was attacked by a dog on a retractable leash. For public safety, this Ordinance was enacted. An Ordinance Regarding Control of Dogs in Parks & Recreation Areas, School Property and the Historic District Page 2 of 2 CHAPTER 98* MUNICIPAL POWERS Sec. 7—148a.Compilations ofordinances and special acts; supplements. Each town, city and borough in this state shall print and publish all amendments to its ordinances, all new ordinances and all special acts adopted afterlune 1, 1962, on or before March first of each even—numbered year as a cumulative supplement to the compilation of its ordinances and special acts. Such compilation and all supplements thereto shall be available for sale to the public at the office of the clerk or other similar office in such municipality at a reasonable cost to be determined by such municipality and a copy of each such compilation and supplement, whether tangible or intangible in form, shall be deposited by the clerk of the municipality in the office of the Secretary of the State, in the State Library, in each bar library in the judicial district in which such municipality is located and in the courthouse library of the court nearest to such municipality. If any town, city or borough fails to comply with the provisions of this section, the Secretary of the State shall provide for the original compilation and publication of such ordinances and special acts or of any supplement thereto and such town, city or borough shall be liable for the cost of such compilation and publication. 7/1/2019 Connecitcut Leash and Dog Bite Law Topic: ANIMALS; Location: ANIMALS - LEGISLATION; March 16, 2004 2004-R-0308 CONNECTICUT LEASH AND DOG BITE LAW By: Joseph Holstead, Research Analyst You asked for information about Connecticut's leash and dog bite laws.