Keep Your Dog Behaved; Town Meeting Approved Fine Increase

Attention all dog owners, get your dog licensed and keep them from becoming a nuisance or potentially face increased fines.

On Wednesday, during the second session of the January Town Meeting, members voted to approve changes in the bylaw that governs the licensing and control of canine that included an increase in fines for "Control of Dogs" violations and a change in the deadline for getting your furry friend licensed.

said the bylaw change came as a result of discussions with the Burlington Animal Control Officer (ACO). She explained that there are currently roughly 2,200 dogs in town and the job of appropriately responding to behavior complaints was innefective because many owners would ignore the initial fines because they were too low.

"The ACO was finding it difficult with a four-tier fine structure," she said. "Nobody really responded to the initial $15 fine." 

Under the old system, when owners did not have control of their dog, including violations of the leash laws and excess barking, owners would be fined $15 for the initial offense, $25 for the second offense, $35 for the third offense and $50 for the fourth offense.

With the new fine structure, owners will now be fined $50 for the first violation and $100 for any subsequent violations that occur within the next twelve months.

The new bylaw also changes the deadline to get your dog licensed. In the old system, owners of any dog that was unlicensed as of July 1 of any year would be fined $50. Now, with the bylaw change, the fine for any unlicensed dog for a period of more than 60 days will be subject to a $50 fine. Additionally, the owner or keeper of a dog kept in town who has not licensed the animal within 60 days of becoming a resident or being notified by the Town Clerk's office will be assessed a fine of $10 for late licensing.

Warfield said that to remind owners to get their dog licensed, a notice will be sent to the owner one month before the rabies expiration date with information on the deadline and a reminder of the $10 fine for late licensing.