DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Animal Control:

The Town of Shelburne has adopted an Animal Control Ordinance relating to Dogs, Wolf-hybrid, Cats or any animal that can be construed as a pet.  This ordinance has been enacted to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the Town of Shelburne and others by regulating the keeping of domestic pets and wolf-hybrids.  The Selectboard has authorized the Shelburne Police Department Officers and the Animal Control Officer with the power to enforce the provisions of this ordinance.         

The Shelburne Police Department employees Dave Palmer as our Animal Control Officer for handling calls relating to Domestic Animals.  The Animal Control Officer is an On-Call position only.  During those time when the Animal Control Officer is not available a Shelburne Police Department Officer may be dispatch to handle the call.

SERVICE HOURS:

If you need to report an Animal Control Ordinance violation, please contact the Shelburne Police Department at our NON-EMERGENCY Number (802) 985-8051.  Our Call-taker/Dispatcher is available 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.  DO NOT dial 9-1-1 for NON-LIFE threatening calls.  ONLY DIAL 9-1-1 FOR ANIMALS THAT ARE THREATENING A PERSON!

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN REPORTING AN ANIMAL COMPLAINT:

First and foremost the Shelburne Communications Center is a 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point and Public Safety Dispatch Point.  Emergency Calls will cause delays in our response to NON-LIFE threatening animal related calls.    Please be patient, the Call-taker/Dispatcher will handle your call in a timely manner based on the activity level at the time of your call.

The Call-taker/Dispatcher will need the following information prior to notifying the Animal Control Officer and/or Police Officer.  Based on the information you provide, the Call-taker/Dispatcher is required to follow specific Call-taking and Dispatching Procedures.  These procedures may require the Call-taker/Dispatcher to ask additional question, provide incident specific Pre-Arrival Instruction, and result in the Animal Control Officer, Police Officers and/or Emergency Medical Units being dispatched.

• Type of Animal Control Violation you are reporting:
  • Animal Bite (Animal vs. Animal, Animal vs. Person):
    • Number of individuals injured.
    • Type of injuries sustained.
    • The Call-taker/Dispatcher may ask additional questions and/or provide Emergency Medical Pre-Arrival Instructions.
  • Aggressive Behavior:
    • Type of Aggressive Behavior.
    • Who was the animal aggressive towards.
    • The Call-taker/Dispatcher may ask additional questions and/or provide Pre-Arrival Instructions.
  • Disturbance or Nuisance:
    • Excessive Noise (Barking or Howling),
    • Causing damage to public or private property,
    • Scatters refuse,
    • Molests or threatens passers-by or passing vehicles on public roads or property,
    • Obstructs traffic,
    • Is not licensed as required by the Animal Control Ordinance,
    • Is uncontrolled or running at large,
    • Failure to remove immediately and properly dispose of any waste created by the domestic pet.
• Your Name, Telephone Numbers and Address.
• Location of the Animal Control Violation:
  • Current Location of the Animal (Street Number and Name and/or Landmark).
  • If the Animal is at large, direction of travel.
• Detailed Description of the Animal:
  • Type of Domestic Animal (Dog, Wolf-hybrid, Cat, etc.).
  • Breed (Black Lab, Golden Retriever, Husky, Mix Breed, etc.).
  • Predominate Color(s).
  • Town Dog/Cat License Number.
  • Other Tags (Veterinary, Owner Applied, etc.).
  • Current Injuries.
• The Call-taker/Dispatcher will determine the appropriate response based on the information you have provided.
  • If the call has resulted in someone being injured, the Call-taker/Dispatcher will immediately dispatch a Police Officer, Emergency Medical Units and page the Animal Control Officer.
  • Most complaints simply result in the Animal Control Officer being paged.  However, if the Animal Control Officer has not contacted the Shelburne Communications Center within 15 minutes, the Call-taker/Dispatcher will then notify the Police Officer-in-Charge.
• The Animal Control Officer and/or Police Officer will investigate the information provided in the complaint in order to determine if a Ordinance Violation exists.  A violation of the Animal Control Ordinance may result in the pet being Impounded or the owner issued a Municipal Complaint (Ticket).

IMPOUNDED ANIMALS:

The Animal Control Officer or Police Officer shall apprehend and impound any domestic pets that has bitten any person.

• The matter will then be referred to the Town Health Officer for proper disposition.
• The domestic pet shall be impounded for ten (10) days to determine if the domestic pet is rabid.
• At the expiration of the ten (10) days such domestic pet shall be reclaimed by the owner after the following conditions have been resolved.
  • The domestic pet will only be released between the hours of 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday or upon payment of Additional Fee on Weekends.
  • All fees have been paid,
  • Proof of rabies vaccination,
  • Proof the pet has been Licensed for the current year.

The Animal Control Officer or Police Officer may apprehend and impound any domestic pets that has been found running At Large.

• Domestic pet will not be release until the following conditions have been resolved:
  • The domestic pet will only be released between the hours of 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday or upon payment of Additional Fee on Weekends.
  • All fees have been paid,
  • Proof of rabies vaccination,
  • Proof the pet has been Licensed for the current year.

Unclaimed domestic pets:

• All domestic pets will be keep for no less then seven (7) days.  Attempts will be made to contact the owner and/or publish a listing in the local newspaper.
  • The owner will have seven (7) days after being notified to pickup the domestic pet.
  • If the domestic pet has not been picked up, the animal may be sold, given away or humanely destroyed.
  • Any owner who, within thirty (30) days of the initial impoundment has not claimed his/her pet will be assessed all of the fines and fees associated with the animal.

Impound and Boarding Fees:

The Shelburne Police Department accepts Checks, Money Orders or Cash.  We DO NOT accept Credit or Debit Cards.  All checks must be made payable to the Town of Shelburne.  If paying with cash, it is recommended to have exact change.

Impound Fee:

• $  30.00 - First Offense within a twelve (12) month period
• $  55.00 - Second Offense within a twelve (12) month period
• $105.00 - Three or more Offenses within a twelve (12) month period

Boarding Fee:

• $  10.00 per day, or fraction thereof during which the domestic pet is impounded.
• $  12.00 per day for large domestic dogs.

Additional Impound Fee:

• $  20.00 - Additional Fee for domestic pets release on weekends.

ENFORCEMENT BEFORE THE JUDICIAL BUREAU:

Any owner in violation of any provision of the Animal Control Ordinance shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day for each day that such violation continues.  The Animal Control Officer or Police Officer may, in lieu of apprehending a domestic pet or wolf-hybrid found at large, and issue and pursue before the Judicial Bureau a Municipal Complaint (Ticket) for any owner found to have violated any provision of the Animal Control Ordinance.

WAIVER FEE FOR MUNICIPAL COMPLAINT:

The Animal Control Officer or Police Officer has the authority to recover a waiver fee, in lieu of a civil penalty, in the following amount, for any person who declines to contest a Municipal Complaint and pays the waiver fee.

$  15.00 - First Offense

$  35.00 - Second Offense

$  60.00 - Third Offense

$100.00 - Fourth Offense

$120.00 - Fifth and subsequent Offense

Offenses shall be counted on a calendar year basis.

CIVIL PENALTY FOR ORDINANCE VIOLATION:

The Animal Control Officer or Police Officer has the authority to recover civil penalties in the following amounts for each violation of this Ordinance.

$  25.00 - First Offense

$  50.00 - Second Offense

$  75.00 - Third Offense

$150.00 - Fourth Offense

$200.00 - Fifth and subsequent Offense

Offenses shall be counted on a calendar year basis.

LICENSING:

• All owners of domestic pets shall be required to annually register and license each animal with the Town Clerk's Office.
  • Each dog and cat six (6) months of age or older must be registered by April 1, of each year.
  • To register your dog or cat, mail or bring the latest rabies certificate and certificate of neutering to the Town Clerk's Office.
  • The cost is $ 9.00 for a spayed female or neutered male, and $13.00 for an un-neutered animal.
  • The penalty for not registering dogs by April 1, is an additional 50% of the regular cost.

Mailing Address:

Shelburne Town Offices

Attn: Dog Licensing

PO Box 88

Shelburne, VT 05482

Updated:  09/05/2007