BILL NUMBER:S4567

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation
to implementing a dangerous dog owner alert system

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:  This bill would instruct
municipalities to alert constituents via the web, email or social
media when an owner of a dangerous dog has been convicted while
protecting such individual's privacy by merely noting the block in
which the violator lives and not any identifying details such as
names, addresses or phone numbers.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

1. § 2. Subdivision 6 of section 209-cc of the general municipal law
is renumbered subdivision 7 and a new subdivision 6 is added to read
as follows:

6.(a) The clerk of each city, town or village shall provide necessary
data to the clerk of the county where such city, town or village is
located and such county shall maintain a web page listing the block of
all residences where such dogs are kept within such municipality.
Such web page shall provide, for each block listed, a link to a
mapping service site that utilizes global positioning system
technology to provide street maps and satellite imagery of such
blocks. The county clerk shall post on such web page notifications of
              

the block where the owner resides with a conviction for an offense
involving a dangerous dog. Posting such notification on the web page
shall not preclude a city, town of village from using any other
specific information such as a resident's name, address, dog's name or
any other additional means of notifying local residents of such
convictions,

(b) Upon the death of a dangerous dog, the owner of such dangerous dog
shall notify the clerk of the municipality in which he resides. The
clerk, in turn, shall forward such notification to the county clerk of
the county where such municipality is located.

(c) Upon a change of residence, the owner of a dangerous dog shall
notify the clerk in the municipality which he is moving from and shall
notify the clerk of the municipality in which he shall reside that he
is the owner of a dangerous dog and shall provide his address. The
clerks, in turn, shall forward such notification to the county clerk
of the county where such municipalities are located.

JUSTIFICATION:  On June 30, 2014, Rebecca Cigal of Niskayuna took her
dog, Templeton, for a walk on Dean Street in the City of Schenectady
when two dogs that had two previous charges of attacking others
savagely mauled Templeton, ultimately killing the dog. Had Ms. Cigal
known there were dangerous dogs on that block not secured by their
owners, she would have elected to walk her dog elsewhere.

Our residents shouldn't have to live in fear for their own safety or
the safety of their companion animals when they go for a walk because
of irresponsible dog owners. This bill serves to mitigate future
dangerous dog attacks by giving more transparency and information to


the public about dangerous dogs that are in their neighborhood so they
can be more aware of their surroundings while out for a walk.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: New Bill.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:  To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after
it shall have become a law.