This letter is to let you know about an incident that occurred on Monday, Jan. 6. Two of my neighbor’s dogs broke through the fencing inside my chicken coop which separates the area where I keep the feed from the chicken area. By the time I discovered them, the dogs had killed all 18 chickens.
I have had chickens in this coop since the 1970s with never any problems with animals, either wild or domestic. Harvard does not seem to have any protection for citizens against dogs. These dogs roam the neighborhood constantly. They killed a chicken on my neighbor’s property last summer and got a mere warning. Now they have a restraining order which only means a nominal fine of $5 up to a maximum of $50 whenever they are seen away from their own property.
The chickens were my pets that I raised from babies. I knew all their personalities. In addition to the pain and suffering it has brought to my husband and myself, my customers of many years have lost their source of fresh eggs. The customers also loved the chickens and brought them vegetable scraps from their tables and gardens.
It is sad to think that it will probably take an attack on a small child before the town will seriously consider rules and generous fines to compel people to keep their dogs under control.
Sandra Lefkovits
Depot Road
