Town of Lowville
REMEMBER to license your dog with your town clerk!!
The Dog Control Officer is the one you call if:
you are missing your dog
you’ve found a stray dog
you’d like to report a dangerous dog, questions relating to licensing, rabies vaccinations/clinics, etc
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You have concerns over a situation which violates the local dog control ordinance, such as:
1. excessive barking
2. running at large (off the property of its owner)
3. dogs in Town parks
4. dog contact with other dog, wildlife or human
5. dog urinating or depositing fecal matter on the premises of another
6. Dogs causing a nuisance upon the premises of another.
Our position is part time, we try to make every effort to have someone on call to respond. Unfortunately that is not always possible, so please understand if we are unable to respond to your concerns immediately. We strongly recommend if you’re experiencing an EMERGENCY, that you call 911. Law Enforcement will be able to respond much more quickly than we can, but we will work with them and you to address the issue until its resolution.
FAQ’s about Dog Control Officers and other pertinent information…
1. There is a lot of outdated information about dog catchers, now called Dog Control Officers. In the past being a dog catcher was not especially esteemed, you may have heard someone’s character so poor that “He couldn’t get elected dog catcher.”
There’s an enormous difference between a dog catcher 20+ years ago and the Dog Control Officer of today. Today, a Dog Control Officer benefits from training in many different areas including:
dog behavioral analysis, civil liability, criminal procedures, control and education of zoonotic diseases.
2. No, dog licensing isn’t a money-maker for the state. The intent of licensing your dog is to ensure dog owners are keeping their dogs current with rabies vaccination for the protection of your dog/family as well as your community members and their pets. Fees from licensing are applied in an effort to offset the costs associated with local Dog Control and the time required to process licenses by your clerk. A portion of every fee also supports animal population control in NYS. All dogs must be licensed through the town clerk where the dog resides (harbored).
TIPS
● ∙ Keep the local authorities contact info handy (Dog Control, Law Enforcement etc.)
∙ Keep the 24-hour emergency veterinarian contact information handy
∙ Keep a spare slip lead and water bowl handy
∙ Use your best judgment and always trust your instincts
∙ Sharing photos and info re: a found dog on social media is often helpful.
If I see a dog running loose in my neighborhood, should I just leave the dog alone and let it find its way back home on its own or should I take it in?
For your own safety, it is not advisable for good Samaritans to approach any unknown dog.
A dog running at large (loose dog running in the neighborhood) is not only a violation of local ordinances, but a dog poses a real danger to themselves and the public at large, so it’s indeed important to notify DCO or law enforcement of what you’ve seen.
Please remember the only Dog Control phone number for the Town of Lowville is 315 307-7670, if voice mail answers it is important to leave the following information.
When calling, please indicate:
∙ time you saw the dog
∙ location of the dog and direction he was headed
∙ breed of dog
∙ color
∙ whether or not the dog wearing a collar
∙ indicate any strange behavior, illness or injury that you may have noticed
∙ leave your name & callback telephone number if additional information is needed
We cannot be responsible for inadequate information or calls/messages left at any other number.
Oftentimes, the wayward dog will find its way home and by the time the officer arrives, the dog will be nowhere in sight. The officer will then determine whether or not to keep searching, based on the circumstances. We do appreciate residents who are able to secure a dog until our arrival. Many DCOs across the state are part time, and not available to immediately respond.
Anytime a situation arises where you need help ASAP, call 911 for assistance.
There is a dog that lives on my street that is tied out all the time. I never see anyone pay attention to it, walk it or feed/water it. It barks all the time and looks very sad. It does have a dog house but I don’t see any blankets or straw. I also can’t see any bowls for food or water but they might be there hidden. I don’t want any problems with my neighbors retaliating on me for reporting them. What should I do?
Unfortunately, not everyone treats their dogs the way we would. NYS requires dogs have water and appropriate shelter for their breed and the climate. They are not required to leave food out all the time. As a matter of fact, leaving food out often attracts wildlife, which brings/invites a whole host of other issues.
Look on the dog control website https://officeofdogcontrol.weebly.com/ relating to dog noise in your town laws/ordinance. It’s recommended to have a conversation with the neighbors to enlighten them of the issue you feel needs to be addressed. Sometimes people don’t know and you going over and knocking is much more neighborly than the police or dog control addressing it.
If you think the parties aren’t friendly people, then certainly reach out to law enforcement or dog control. We also recommend you keep a log of the barking start and stop time so that if you do choose to sign a formal complaint you can demonstrate a history of the barking.
Concerns relating to abuse or neglect of animals (including dogs) please contact the Lewis County Sheriff’s Department at 315 376-3511 or the Lewis County Humane Society at 315 376-8349. DOG CONTROL DOES NOT HANDLE THESE TYPE OF COMPLAINTS.
RABIES
Rabies is a serious illness, which can result in human death.
Periodic rabies vaccination clinics for domestic animals are held in the County. Dates, times and locations for these clinics can be obtained by calling Lewis County Public Health at 315 376-5453.
You can also go to the Public Health website https://www.lewiscounty.org/dep…/public-health/public-health to check for scheduled vaccination clinics.
REMINDERS TO ALL DOG OWNERS
∙ Every dog four months of age or older is required by NYS Agriculture & Markets Law to be licensed in the town/village/city where it’s harbored with very few exceptions. Applying for a license is very simple and inexpensive, but necessary.
∙ If you’ve recently moved here or have recently acquired a dog, NYS allows up to 30 days for you to make application for a license.
∙ Yes, the license tag AND the rabies tag are required to be on your dog’s collar at all times when outdoors
∙ Yes, under the law, if you have a dog (or dogs) that aren’t licensed, your dog(s) may immediately be seized and held until you license them, regardless if the dog is in its own home or out in the street.
∙ Dog bites are never OK. Bites on humans or bites on other dogs, neither is acceptable and all must be reported to local DCO/Health Department. **Emergency situations, call 911**
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If you witness a violation of the dog ordinances or laws and request enforcement, please remember the dog control officer can not issue a ticket unless a sworn complaint is filled out and signed by the person(s) who witnessed the offense, unless it occurred in the presence of the DCO. You may obtain a form from the DCO, town clerk.
OR Please click on "COMPLAINT FORM" for a printable form. You must fill it out in as much detail as possible, and have it notarized. The appropriate town clerk can notarize it and turn it over to the DCO. The DCO will then issue the appropriate ticket(s) to the owner of the dog(s) for an appearance in court. |
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