NORWICH – As of Jan. 1, 2011, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets will be out of the dog business.
After that, municipalities will have to pick up all licensing expenses, including issuing paper registrations, providing dog tags and mailing renewal notices to dog owners in their jurisdictions.
A group of town clerks told members of a county committee Tuesday that it was unclear how the transition would occur.
“It’s been dumped in our laps. We will have to muddle through this,” said North Norwich Clerk Loretta L. Smith, speaking for four town clerks who appeared before the Chenango County Agriculture, Buildings and Grounds Committee. The group represented a newly-formed association of town clerks that plans to meet regularly to discuss this and other duties of the office.
Smith asked county lawmakers for direction on budgeting dog monies for 2011. She also suggested that the committee revisit and perhaps revise local law on dog licensing and set standardized fees across all towns.
New York State currently recommends an annual licensing fee of $2.50 for a neutered/spayed dog and $10.50 for an unspayed/unneutered dog in its original condition. Of that amount, the state keeps $1 and $3 per dog, respectively, and distributes the remainder to the counties, which in turn, distribute it amongst local municipalities. Smith said she wasn’t sure where the state’s share would end up after the changes go into effect.
Chenango County’s 21 towns charge a variety of differing rates, from the state’s recommended amounts to $5 and $13 in North Norwich, for example, and $2.50 and $18 in Sherburne. Many, such as Pharsalia and Preston, don’t collect a local administration fee on top of the state’s recommendation at all.
Town of Greene Clerk Deborah L. Thomas proposed that $8 and $18 was “a reasonable fee” to be charged in all municipalities. She said the amount would cover Greene’s expenses for licensing and keeping track of approximately 3,000 registered dogs in the town.
“If we only charge $2.50, we will all be operating in the red,” she said.
Town of Oxford Clerk James Hemstrought said revisiting local law on the matter presents an opportunity to correct an existing policy with the SPCA, that which he said is charging back towns for licensing fees that new owners can’t or won’t pay.
“They shouldn’t be licensing dogs without regard to what municipality they will be harbored in,” he said.
All of the members of the committee were in agreement that only 30 to 40 percent of the dogs owned by property owners in Chenango County are licensed at all. Charging more would reduce that number further, they said.
“Are we going to raise the price on those good citizens who are licensing their dogs?” asked Supervisor Peter C. Flanagan D-Preston.
Supervisor Dennis Brown, D-Pharsalia, questioned with the county board could impose fees across jurisdictions.
“Towns do a lot of work trying to keep up with unlicensed dogs. The program is losing money already and 60 percent without dogs or licenses end up paying anyway,” said the committee’s Chair Robert Briggs, R-Afton.
Figures from Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2009 showed dog licenses generated $6,262.54 for the towns. The town and city of Norwich took in $714 and $600, respectively. The town of Greene took in $458, while the towns of German and Pharsalia, for example, earned $41.06 and $37.39.
The committee invited the clerks to come before the full board of supervisors next month to present their recommendations. They were advised to meet with Clerk of the Board RC Woodford and Chenango County Attorney Richard Breslin to draft a resolution outlining their plans.