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Select Board adopts guidelines for dog reserve fund, sets $500 officer spending cap
Summary
The board finalized guidelines for a newly created dog reserve fund funded by a $5 registration surcharge to cover veterinary care, quarantine or kennel costs for unknown-owner or necessary-treatment cases. Members agreed an on-duty dog officer may spend up to $500 without board approval; larger expenses must be authorized by the Select Board.
The Select Board reviewed proposed guidelines for a dog reserve fund funded by a $5 per-registration surcharge. The fund is intended to cover veterinary consultation, quarantine/kenneling costs and other necessary expenditures for dogs (including wolf-hybrids) when the owner is unknown or when immediate treatment is required.
Members debated whether the fund should be used only when an owner is unknown or more broadly for necessary treatment while the dog is in town custody. The board agreed to allow the dog officer discretion to spend up to $500 for urgent vet care or kennel costs; expenditures above that threshold must be brought to the board. Members emphasized owners remain responsible for costs when identifiable and recommended pursuing cost recovery in appropriate cases.
The board voted to adopt the guidelines as corrected and directed staff to date and sign the policy and provide the document to the town dog officer.
