Animal Control Ordinance

This ordinance shall take the place of and rescind any and all other ordinances related to Animal Control in effect prior to this date.

This Ordinance is relative to the following- Domesticated animals that are a  menace, a nuisance or Vicious as well as restraining of dogs which run at large in the Town of Northfield.

Definitions

Running At Large: A domesticated animal running free off the animal owner/keeper property, while not under the animal owner/keeper control.

Domesticated Animal: Animals that have been bred and adapted to live alongside and with humans.

Menace: An animal threatening to inflict harm or injury especially in a hostile manner.

Nuisance: A domesticated animal causing annoyance that interferes with the rights of the public generally which cannot be controlled by the animal’s owner or keeper and has repeated offenses.

Vicious: Any animal which has attacked, menaced, or bitten any person without reasonable provocation, or any animal which has behaved in such a manner that the owner/keeper knows or should reasonably know that the animal has tendency to attack, menace or bite persons without reasonable provocation.

It shall be in violation of this section of the ordinance of the Town of Northfield for any person, whether they be the owner, keeper, or handler of a dog(s) that are a Menace, Nuisance, Vicious, or to allow the said dog, to run at large off of the owner/keeper within the borders of the Town of Northfield. 

Any dog found to be running at large, a Menace, Nuisance, or Vicious within the Town boundaries of Northfield shall be picked up and held by the Town until the owner, keeper, or handler is located, or until New Hampshire State Statues allow for the destruction of said dog.

Any person who is the owner, keeper, or handler of a dog found to be running at large, Menace, a Nuisance, or Vicious in the Town of Northfield shall be in violation of NH RSA 466:31. 

Penalties 
Any person who violates any of the provisions of RSA 466:31 shall be liable for a civil forfeiture, which shall be paid to the clerk of the town or city wherein such dog is owned or kept within 96 hours of the date and time notice is given by any law enforcement officer or other person authorized by the town to the owner or keeper of a dog in violation of RSA 466:31.
If the forfeiture is paid, said payment shall be in full satisfaction of the assessed penalty. The forfeiture shall be in the amount as specified for the following violations:

(a) $25 for the first running at large or nuisance offense under RSA 466:31, II (a), (b), (c) or (d); $100 for the second or subsequent running at large or nuisance offense committed within 12 months of the first nuisance offense under RSA 466:31, II (a), (b), (c) or (d).

(b) $50 for the first menace offense under RSA 466:31, II (e) or (f); $200 for the second or subsequent menace offense committed within 12 months of the first menace offense under RSA 466:31, II(e) or (f).

(c) $100 for the first vicious offense under RSA 466:31, II (g).

(d) $400 for the second or subsequent vicious offense committed within 12 months of the first vicious offense under RSA 466:31, II (g).

III. Any person who pays a civil forfeiture specified in paragraph II 2 times in any 12-month period according to the records of the town or city clerk, may not pay a civil forfeiture for subsequent violations of RSA 466:31 in that 12-month period, but shall have those cases disposed of in district or municipal court. 
In the case of a vicious dog, as described by RSA 466:31, II (g), where its behavior presents a threat to public safety, immediate district court or municipal court proceedings may be initiated in lieu of the civil forfeiture.

This ordinance shall be enforced by the Northfield Police Department and or any duly authorized dog officer appointed by the Northfield Board of Selectmen or by agents of the Board of Selectmen.

This Ordinance shall become effective upon the signing by the Northfield Board of Selectmen.

Adopted by the Board of Selectmen on June 7, 2022

Mark Hubbell, Chairman
Jason Durgin, Vice Chairman
Kevin Waldron, Selectman