Sharon, Massachusetts

§ 116-4 Definitions.

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

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PERSONAL KENNEL

A pack or collection of more than four dogs, three months old or older, owned or kept under single ownership, for private personal use; provided, however, that breeding of personally owned dogs may take place for the purpose of improving, exhibiting or showing the breed or for use in legal sporting activity or for other personal reasons; provided, further, that selling, trading, bartering or distributing such breeding from a personal kennel shall be to other breeders or individuals by private sale only and not to wholesalers, brokers or pet shops; provided, further, that a personal kennel shall not sell, trade, barter or distribute a dog not bred from its personally owned dogs; and provided, further, that dogs temporarily housed at a personal kennel, in conjunction with an animal shelter or rescue registered with the Department of Agricultural Resources, may be sold, traded, bartered or distributed if the transfer is not for profit.

§ 116-5 Licensing; fees.

A. Licenses shall be required for any dog over six months of age in accordance with MGL c. 140, § 137, and are valid for a one-year period commencing on January 1 and expiring on December 31 of each year. The annual fee for every dog license, except as otherwise provided by law, shall be $20 for a male or female dog; unless a certificate of a registered veterinarian who performed the operation that such dog has been spayed or neutered and has thereby been deprived of the power of propagation has been shown to the Town Clerk, in which case the fee shall be $15. A copy of such certificate of spaying or neutering on file in the office of any city or town clerk within the commonwealth may be accepted as evidence that such operation has been performed. If the Town Clerk is satisfied that the certificate of the veterinarian cannot be obtained, he/she may accept in lieu thereof a statement signed under the penalties of perjury by a veterinarian registered and practicing in the commonwealth describing the dog and stating that he/she has examined such dog and that it appears to have been and in his/her opinion has been spayed or neutered and thereby deprived of the power of propagation.

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I. The fee for every kennel license shall, except as otherwise provided, be $35 for no more than four dogs over the age of three months; $60 if more than four but no more than 10 dogs over the age of three months; $125 if more than 10 dogs over the age of three months are kept therein. An owner or keeper of a personal kennel may elect to secure a kennel license in lieu of licensing each individual dog.