Of Dogs in Hudson

Last week, during the BEA (Board of Estimate and Apportionment) review of the proposed 2022 budget for the city clerk's office, some interesting information was revealed about dogs in Hudson. There are two items in the clerk's budget that relate to dogs: the salary for the dog control officer and an amount budgeted each year for shelter services. 

The annual salary for the dog control officer, a position now held by James Delaney, Jr., will remain the same in 2022 as it was in 2021: $7,200. The City also typically budgets $5,000 for shelter services--money paid to the Columbia-Greene Humane Society for boarding dogs found alone and at large in the city. CGHS charges $35 a day for the first ten days and an additional flat rate of $300 for dogs left at the shelter for longer than ten days. According to the current arrangement, the City pays the shelter for boarding dogs found in Hudson and charges the dog's owner $50 the first time a dog is impounded, $150 the second time, and $300 the third time.

City clerk Tracy Delaney suggested that the amount of $5,000 may be more than is needed because, thanks to social media and the Hudson Police Department, dogs are being reunited with their humans before they are impounded at the Humane Society. To confirm that, the BEA looked the amounts paid to CGHS in recent years. 

• 2021 (YTD)  $1,370
• 2020  $2,055
• 2019  $1,350
• 2018  $4,415

The BEA agreed to reduce the amount budgeted for shelter services by $2,000 to $3,000.

It was suggested that the City change its law to make the entire impoundment fee the responsibility of the dog owner. It was noted that most towns in Columbia County already have laws that make owner responsible for shelter fees. City treasurer Heather Campbell wondered about unfortunate outcomes if an owner could not afford to pay the shelter fees. The dog would be put up for adoption, and the owner forced to forfeit the dog might try to reclaim it from its new adopters. 

So far, no decision has been made about changing the City's policies regarding impoundment fees.

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