SOUTHWICK – The Board of Selectmen last week decided not to adopt an infraction fee structure recommended by Animal Control Officer Tracy Root.
In an attempt to curb harmful incidents related to animals, Root asked the board to institute a ticket process for animals left in hot cars and for incidents related to stray livestock.
Selectmen Arthur Pinell and Russell Fox were against the request. Selectwoman Tracy Cesan had to leave the meeting, which ran late, for another appointment before the topic was brought up. However, before leaving she said she was “in support” of Root’s request.
Fox said with relation to livestock, there are many farmers left in town and he did not want to impose fines on them.
“Farming is tough enough,” said Fox. “I understand where she’s coming from but I’m not in favor of it.”
Fox said education is the best way to keep animals safe.
“I don’t think fining people is the way to go about it,” he said.
Board Chairman Pinell agreed and said he recalled Root requesting “a fairly stiff penalty” for people who leave dogs in hot cars. Fox said the suggested fine was $300.
“There is already a state statute and I think education is the best way,” said Fox.
Root said she agrees people must be educated. However, she said as far as dogs left in hot cars, it would be time consuming to track warnings and smaller tickets, she said.
“We border another state and we often have this conversation with people from Connecticut,” she said. “The paperwork involved in trying to keep track of whether we gave a warning would be ridiculous.”
Root said multiple calls for stray livestock and hot dogs sparked her request.
“I was chasing a whole lot of cows and finding a whole lot of dogs in hot cars,” said Root. “I probably chased loose cows, at the very least, 10 times this year. And it’s not just one cow – it’s a herd.”
Root said in one incident, a herd of six or seven cows was headed for The Ranch golf course. She and a police officer had to round them up while making sure they did not get into the road or the course.
“That tied up more than an hour of my time and a half-hour of the police officer’s time,” Root said.
Root said the stray cows generally come from the same farms and she has sent letters to the farmers asking them to literally mend their fences so the cows do not get out.
“It’s the same with horses,” said Root. “Usually I will catch the loose horse and bring it to the farm and leave a note.”
According to Root, state laws allow her, as the town’s Field Driver, the ability to charge a pickup fee, as well as $10 per head per incident.
“I’m just trying to go with what the state allows me to do,” she said. “It’s for the safety of the animal, the safety of the general public, and the well-being of the farmers.”
As for the dogs in hot cars, Root said “that’s just for the safety of the dogs.”
Root said she planned to continue the discussion of her options.
