Special City Council Meeting - Dangerous Dog Hearing
Public hearing on a dangerous-dog case at 2 Hillside Ave: Council adopted the Animal Control Officer’s recommendation, amended to require the dog be muzzled when outside any physically enclosed space and able to access public property.
The City Council held a special meeting for a Dangerous Dog Hearing concerning a dog located at 2 Hillside Ave. Testimony included the Animal Control Officer’s reports and two incident reports dated July 7 and July 24, 2024; the complainant described injuries to himself and his dog and related expenses. Several members of the public and animal-care professionals spoke in favor of the dog, while the dog owner testified about her walking routine and opposed muzzling.
Council discussion focused on the scope and legal authority of the ACO recommendation, whether the Council could impose a permanent muzzle requirement, and factual questions about fencing and prior ACO orders (a prior muzzle order was noted to have been for 10 days). Councilor Nicholas Wheeler moved to adopt the ACO recommendation; he later moved and won an amendment striking a City Charter reference in item 2 and adding the phrase requiring the dog to be muzzled “when outside any physically enclosed space.” The main motion, as amended, passed with five affirmative votes and one abstention (Councilor Owen Corcoran).