MARBLEHEAD — For more than 20 years the fines for off-leash dogs have hovered at a mere $25 to $50. Some owners continue to break the rules and pay the fines considering how cheap the fines are. But Animal Control Officer Betsy Cruger has witnessed numerous situations where using leashes could have prevented even more significant losses. So, she’s looking to increase the fines to entice owners to leash their pups.
Cruger recounted moments in her 28-year career with Marblehead Animal Control where dogs had been injured or even killed due to being off-leash. While some may think Cruger is just an enforcer looking to slap fines on dog owners, she’s really trying to protect the dogs and the owners from hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in vet or attorney fees.
“You’re looking at $10,000 to $20,000 if your dog gets injured,” Cruger said. “I don’t think people understand this: you’re not just rolling the dice to get a ticket from Animal Control, you’re rolling the dice on your animal’s life.”
Not only are dogs off-leash, but owners are also not picking up their dog’s waste or discarding the bags properly.
Cruger explained that most owners will make an effort to pick up the waste. But others typically discard it haphazardly. “The other people are the ones that actually took the time to bag it and then chuck it up in a tree, leave it on the side of the road, or leave it on the railroad bed,” Cruger said.
At Tuesday’s Board of Health meeting, Cruger and Recreation and Parks commissioner Shelly Bedrossian relayed that dog waste at Abbot Hall has been left for a volunteer landscaper to clean up. The landscaper uses his own machines but consistently has to clean up after other people’s dogs before mowing the lawn.
Board of Health Member Tom McMahon pointed out that the landscaper will no longer want to come back and perform his work if he has to keep running over dog waste with his personal machinery.
To help solve this problem Cruger wants to install stations that contain waste bags and a trash can. That way owners that forget their bags can easily grab one alongside a place to dispose of the waste. Cruger hopes that will leave no excuse for waste to be left around town.
Cruger also clarified that the law for leashed dogs remains in effect 24/7 in the town of Marblehead, and there are certain areas where dogs are never allowed.
“You have to have your dog leashed everywhere,” Cruger said, “You’re not allowed with your dog in these spots, ever: in cemeteries, memorial parks or bathing beaches.”
But to even the playing field, Cruger wants to open up more space where dog owners can unleash their dogs. Those areas include the dog park and Riverhead. The board is also making an attempt to allow for unleashed dogs at the old Coffin School since it’s no longer being used for educational purposes.
“Because you’re never allowed to go here, we’re going to let you open up,” Cruger said. “We’re going to open up these spaces because with thousands of dogs, you need more than one dog park.”
Cruger and Bedrossian explained that a majority of dog owners follow the rules and leash their dogs, but it’s the small number of people who force them to push for higher fines. They are looking to raise the fines to $100 for the first offense, $300 for the second, and $500 for the third, but they are open to any range of fines deemed fit for the punishment.
The pair is going to work with the Board of Health, Recreation and Parks Commission and Animal Control to revamp the laws that have gone so long without being amended. They hope to bring the problem to town meeting in May.
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