Town urged to enforce dog laws
By KAYLEIGH KARUTIS, The Leader-HeraldBROADALBIN - Resident Susan Casler aired concerns about the town's enforcement of animal control laws at a Town Board meeting Tuesday.
Casler said she and her dog were attacked by loose dogs on two separate occasions in June. One involved a dog that jumped out of a moving vehicle, Casler said.
When a dog that has not been vaccinated for rabies has contact with a stranger, state law requires the dog be confined and observed for 10 days after the attack to make sure the animal doesn't exhibit signs of rabies, Casler said. In both attacks, neither dog was confined, she said.
"I understand it's not easy to deal with irate dog owners," Casler told the board. "The gap in this law must be closed."
Casler said the town's dog warden has repeatedly tried to contact the owners of the two dogs but has been ignored.
"They won't answer their door, and they won't answer the phone," Casler said.
Casler, a registered nurse, said she knows the seriousness of rabies. Pet owners, however, sometimes refuse to comply with the law, she said.
"I shudder at the thought of someone's small child being on the other end of what my dog and I have gone through," Casler wrote in a recent letter to the editor of The Leader-Herald.
Casler said Tuesday the owner of the dog who jumped from a car and attacked her refused to divulge her name.
"I was really angry. I said, 'This is the second time this has happened,'" Casler said. "And she said to me, 'Not by my dog, my dog only attacked you once.' That was the most ridiculous thing I've heard. That's like saying, 'I only killed him once.'"
Supervisor Lee Hollenbeck and Board Member Joseph DiGiacomo said they are sympathetic to Casler's situation, but they didn't know what could be done. Casler said she wants the town to follow state laws and make sure dogs that attack are checked for rabies.
Assessment remarks
In other business, Town Assessor Joseph McDonald presented the board and public with documents charting the growth in sales of homes in the town.
McDonald said assessment values have changed with ups and downs in actual sales prices, for the most part. He said lakeside and lake-influenced properties generally have been assessed at a higher level than rural properties, and rural properties have been assessed higher than village properties.
McDonald also said sales in the town have dropped, but that mirrors a trend occurring throughout the country.
Town beach concerns
The Town Board also discussed problems at the town beach. Picnic tables have been stolen and moved around, and people are breaking into the parking area and parking when the beach is closed, officials said.
There also is a problem with garbage being left on the beach and youths partying on the beach after hours, officials said.
There is no penalty for entering the parking lot after hours, but board members said they should consider revising the law to include one.
Kayleigh Karutis covers rural Fulton County news. She can be reached by e-mail at ruralnews@leaderherald.com.
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dogman12
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07-11-08 9:59 PM
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Sorry all but just read Mrs Caslers letter to Editor on July 3 2008 and had to comment . You say that The DCO said that this dog attacked another dog two days prior !! Well did the DCO file a dangerouse dog complaint ? Thats the law for the DCO she must and I mean must go after owner for that , if the DCO didn't ask you to sign complaint then she is not doing her job ! This dog attacks another pet or person again maybe the owner of that dog will sue the Village and the town ! Sad but true to have to go that route but the people in Broadalbin have to say enough is enough . Also call Ag & Markets and tell them about these dogs attacking you and your pets and nothing is bieng done - A meeting will be set up to remind Broadalbin town board that they must have a DCO ready to handle these dangerouse dog cases 24 hours a day and do you ! Not the next day or two day's later the DCO or town must have some one to go to these calls ( dangerouse dogs) right away . good luck
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dogman12
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07-11-08 9:37 PM
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Another thing ! It was not to long ago that a dog attacked a woman jogging in the Village of Broadalbin and bite her ! I ask you this did the DCO go thier ? I hope what I hurd was false because just another dog not confined right ! The funny thing about this is the owners were one of the complainers about me ! I done the DCO job well and that got me fired by the whole board . Another funny thing , one of the woman board members was also a complainer about me ! The woman councilman had a dog that had bit many grown ups and children on Steversmills road and the dog was not licensed ! Yes rest asure that when she was alected she voted me out . The DCO in Broadalbin also does Mayfield so good luck when you really need her in one town and she's in another or you can't even get ahold of her ! Good luck to all the good people in Broadalbin and shame on the board and the losers
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dogman12
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07-11-08 9:23 PM
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I want to say to Susan Casper that I'm Joe the X DCO in Broadalbin ! You done the right thing at the Broadalbin council meeting! Lets make one thing clear , the DCO Jane Potts "HAS" to make sure any dog who attacks and bites you is confined for ten days ! She can and has to find these people and can call the State police or Sheriffs Dept for help ! "NO excuses" !! The Town Board can't say nothing thay can do, thats bull !! Jane Potts also has to fill out a report to the Fulton County Healh Dept about the ten day confinment and up to date rabies shots ! Jane Potts must file a dangerouse dog complaint too - no exuses ( if applies)!! The town can and will be sued for the Dog control job not bieng done some day "if what is said is true" ! Further more I want to thank the people who made the comment that I done a good job . When The Sheriffs or any person called for me about a complaint thay talked to me in minutes or seconds ! Try that with the DCO now !
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Broadalbinnurse
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07-11-08 1:45 PM
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First of all thank you for your supportive words. This has been a continuing education. Secondly I would like to say that my purpose in making my situation public knowledge was never to vilify any person or group. I think working together we can all do our part to make our communities safer. I would like to direct a word to FultonCountyfan: the reason I made my complaint at the town level was that in the communication list of official names and phone numbers that the village circulates regularly, next to the dog warden's name is a comment in parenthesis that indicates the dog warden is hired by the Town of Broadalbin. I thought this was the appropriate place to go, perhaps it wasn't. Susan Casler
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CatfactoryNY12078
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07-11-08 12:07 PM
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We need to do something about these dogs and their owners. The dogs are constantly terrorizing my precious bundles of joy. I think the owners need to be held responsible and pay a heavy fine. Plus dogs are a filthy dispicable species. If anyone is interested in an animal, u can find a beautiful cat on any street corner. or just let me know if u want one of mine. i have 39 precious strays and the cost plus smell is forcing me to give some away. -cat lady
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IKnooow
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07-11-08 9:24 AM
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I wondered about the police getting involved because the dog owners were reportedly ignoring the ACO's efforts to contact them. I can't imagine it doesn't violate some law if your dog attacks a person on the street. Since my family with two young children were confronted by a vloose, aggressive dog while walking in Johnstown, I carry a baseball bat on our walks. Heaven help the animal that comes near my wife or kids.
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rosethorn
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07-10-08 10:30 PM
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The dog leash law is a issue every where and isnt being enforced and nothing is done about it until someone is bitten or someone's animal is attacked.I think animal control needs to get out and do their jobs and patrol the neighborhoods a little more and see all the animals running loose and Im not just talking about the people....
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fultoncountyfan
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07-10-08 10:08 PM
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I ment to say if the ACO does his job as good as Joe did he is going to*****people off
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fultoncountyfan
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07-10-08 9:47 PM
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I was under the understanding that the two complaints that Sue had was in the Village of Broadalbin. I'm noy sure why she went to the Town board. I know who Sue is and I think she is a nice lady that was put in a bad spot twice . As far as the Barney Fife comment most of the police officers in the Village of Broadalbin work for the Sheriff road patrol and would have taken action on the call if it was given to them. As far as the ACO goes it is a thankless job and it the person does his job as Joe did he is going to*****people off.
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BlueCollarMan
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07-10-08 7:04 PM
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New York State Law states that if you have a domestic animal i.e. Dog, cat, or livestock which is confined to their property and is being attacked by another animal you are fully within the law to destroy that animal. I am not saying to start shooting every dog that comes into your yard but I shall be*******if my dog or my wife is in their yard and an animal is attacking them that I am not going to action against that animal to stop the threat. Also, if you are witness to dogs running deer they can also been destroyed on sight... Most ACOs are part time and handle many complaints from dogs to wildlife. Perhaps Broadalbin along with Perth should allow the ACO to do their job instead of catering to a few people who feel there are too strict in their enforcement.
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maxone
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07-10-08 2:01 PM
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I failed to say that my wife was attacked by a dog and Joe took care of everything, including the monitoring for 10 days to make sure my wife did not have to get rabies shots. Thanks again Joe.
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maxone
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07-10-08 1:49 PM
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Broadalbin did have a super ACO named Joe. He quit because of idiots complaining Joe was strict but he was good. Now the town has SNOODLEDOODLE or something to that effect, the town needs an ACO like Joe. And for the record,I am in no way related or friends with Joe. I am a taxpayer and I was pleased with the job that Joe did as ACO. I think the town should ask (beg) Joe to come back or atleast be a deputy warden...
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jov872
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07-10-08 1:49 PM
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Dog incidents are not normally a police matter. Thats why all the towns have animal control officers to handle the type of situations.
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InnocentParty
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07-10-08 1:31 PM
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Only Barney Fyfe and he's busy chasing muffins.
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IKnooow
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07-10-08 1:21 PM
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Aren't there police in Broadalbin?
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NoSenseAtAll
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07-10-08 12:39 PM
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AT ONE TIME BROADALBIN AND PERTH HAD AN EXCEPTIONAL ACO (ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER) AND HE REALLY DID HIS JOB THAT IS UNTIL A WELL KNOWN RESIDENT ATTENDED A BOARD MEETING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT HIM AND TOO MUCH ENFORCEMENT...WELL I PERSONALLY KNOW THIS GUY NAMED JOE AND WAS INVOLVED IN SOME OF HIS CASES AND I CAN SAY THAT HE DID HIS JOB OK...BUT WITHOUT MR HOLLENBECK'S BACKING AND ORDERS TO BACK OFF, HE QUIT AFTER A WHILE...NOW THERE WILL ALWAYS BE DOG PROBLEMS BECAUSE KNOW ONE WANTS TO BE BOTHERED...THERE ARE LAWS TO POROTECT DOG ATTACKS AND MR HOLLENBECK SHOULD ENFORCE THEM....OR GET OUT...I SAID BEFORE THAT IT SEEMS ONCE SOME FOLKS GET COMFORTABLE WITH PULIC SPEAKING THEY FORGET WHY THEY WERE ELECTED...JUST TO TALK ???
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fifthestatewatchdog
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07-10-08 11:50 AM
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Looking at the license plate probably was not the first thing on the persons mind in those few seconds following the attack, tending to the injured pet was. Dog Wardens are always on call and only get paid around $5,000 but there needs to be a non-family member as deputy for when they are not available. The Town Supervisor is supposed to step up and substitute in times of crisis, it appears he was too busy to leave his recreational activities to enforce the law and see and insure public safety.
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Stardust
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07-10-08 10:53 AM
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What a moron that woman whose dog jumped out of the car was. I would have said fine - don't tell me your name and then taken down her license plate.
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