Dog Ban Lifted

Effective  June 1, 2007

Carl Yacobacci presents the first "doggie bag" to his daughter Nicole while Meghan Simonds and "Artemis" prepare for a walk on the Greenway.

As planned, the Board of Aldermen have lifted the ban on dogs on the Derby Greenway for a three month trial period beginning June 1. In November, they had imposed a six month ban on dogs on the Greenway effective December 1, 2006.

In the six months since the ban went into effect, the Greenway has been much cleaner, but city officials were also making plans for the return of the dogs. They moved ahead with plans to install a series of trash receptacles which were completed just in time for Memorial Day. Local businessman Carl Yacobacci also stepped forward and donated special dispensers of "doggie bags" to provide dog owners with a steady supply of bags to help dog owners clean up after their pets. Greenway Committee Chairman Jack Walsh said, "Carl put his time into researching the right equipment for this project and then donated them to the City. We are grateful for his leadership and his corporate citizenship." The dispensers are available at the various entrance points to the trail. Walsh noted that the future of dogs on the trail is squarely in the hands of those who bring their pets onto the Greenway. "There is room for everyone on the Greenway as long as they exercise common courtesy and obey the existing city ordinances that apply not only on the Greenway but throughout the city."

The existing city ordinances:

The Board of Aldermen recently voted to raise the fines here to $200.00.

ARTICLE III Nuisances [Adopted 5-14-1987; amended 5-11-1995]

§ 56-3. Keeping vicious or annoying dogs prohibited.

No person shall keep or harbor any dog which attacks, threatens to attack or frightens any person or any animal upon any sidewalk or highway or which, by loud or excessive barking or howling, causes annoyance to any person or persons living in the vicinity where such dog is kept.

§ 56-9. Dogs roaming at large; penalties for offenses.

No owner or keeper of any dog, whether licensed or unlicensed, shall allow such dog to roam at large upon the land of another and not under control by leash or similar restraint of the owner or keeper or agent of such owner or keeper, provided that nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or prohibit the legal use of hunting dogs during the open hunting or training season. The unauthorized presence of any dog on the land of any person other than the owner or keeper of such dogs or any portion of a public highway, street or sidewalk or any other city property when not under control, by leash or similar restraint, of the owner or keeper shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of the provisions of this section. Any person who violates this section shall pay a fine of $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense, and for any subsequent offense, the same shall be a misdemeanor in violation of C.G.S., § 22-364, Dogs roaming at large, and a court appearance would be required.

§ 56-10. Discharge of excreta; penalties for offenses.
A. It shall be unlawful for any owner, keeper or walker of any dog or cat or rider of any horse to permit his or her animal to discharge its excreta upon any public or private property, other than the property of the owner of the animal, within the city if such owner, keeper, rider or walker does not immediately thereafter remove and clean up such animal's excreta from the public or private property.
B. Any owner, keeper, walker or rider violating this section shall be fined $50 $200 for each particular incident.