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| 2/25/2009 2:52:00 PM Email this article • Print this article |
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This unheated barn can serve as a shelter for dogs, but Lanzalotto offers his own house for dogs that wouldn't do well in the cold. |
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No Frills in VE Dog Control Agreement
Contract Needs County Approval
By Jesse Disbrow
The stray dogs of Van Etten will have a certain place to stay, when an agreement between the town and the dog control officer is finally accepted.
For the past several months the Town of Van Etten has gone back and forth with the county on what they need in an agreement between the municipality and its dog control officer Frank Lanzalotto. Lanzalotto and town supervisor George Keturi had come up with an initial agreement, but it was rejected after it was deemed not comprehensive enough.
Keturi's second attempt at the agreement was equally unsuccessful. After submitting the agreement again, Keturi was given a sample agreement along the lines of what the county would like the agreement to include. This agreement was several pages long and Keturi didn't think that most of it was relevant to the small town of Van Etten.
He made some wording changes and added a few lines to clarify the Town's and the dog control officer's obligations but otherwise left the one page document unchanged.
"It's plenty good for a small town," Keturi said. "It's a joint agreement for joint responsibility and it's good to keep it local."
Keturi said that this agreement just made more sense for the town. In previous Town meetings Keturi mentioned that his agreement said most of the same things but in a much clearer, straightforward way. Keturi said keeping it local was a much more efficient practice than hiring out the business to the SPCA. Contracting with the SPCA could cost the Town around $12,000 and Keturi wasn't certain that they could give the same level of service that a local person could.
At the last Town meeting some questions were brought up about the liability of the Town and to Lanzalotto about keeping animals on private land. At the time the liability seemed pretty ambiguous, especially about harboring any aggressive dogs. Concerns for Lanzalotto's family were also expressed in addition to those for private citizens. However, a second option was offered.
T.J. Swartout, who is the new town planning board chairman and has dog control experience, mentioned that maybe they could hold dogs on Town land to make liabilities clear.
Swartout said that the town could use the barn by the old town buildings for a kennel. The barn is not on village property and could easily be fixed up a little to provide the same level of support as Lanzalotto's kennel.
Currently the building holds some extra highway equipment that could be moved. The building is unheated, but so is Lanzalotto's kennel. For dogs who can't stay out in the cold he would harbor them in his house until they were picked up.
Keturi, however, found out that the insurance would work the same at both sites, nullifying the insurance issue. Keturi said it would simply be easier to keep the situation the way that it is. Having the kennel at his home would eliminate extra mileage for Lanzalotto and would make it easier to check on the animals.
Keturi also said that Lanzalotto does not harbor very many dogs at any given time. He can keep five to six dogs but rarely get that many at a time. Keturi said that most of the time dogs stay at most one night, being picked up by the owner or another agency the day of or the day after.
So the only standing issue left is if the county approves the agreement. Keturi is steadfast in support of his agreement and does not want to submit an agreement with unnecessary frills. The Town could have more information on the issue by next months meeting.
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