I’m responding to an article and letters in the Press (1/17 and 1/24) regarding the slaughter of 18 chickens belonging to Henry and Sandra Lefkovits, and the killing of another chicken last summer. The current Harvard dog laws have minimal fines and penalties, and I urge the selectmen to increase those fines, require that dogs that are not under control be permanently confined to the owner’s property, and eliminate the provision that repeated offenses accumulate only for each calendar year and then start with a clean slate the following year. Most dog owners in Harvard, including my neighbors on Glenview Drive, have well-trained and well-controlled dogs that are friendly and fun to meet with their tail-wagging greetings.
I’m not advocating for a leash law. I don’t think that is needed in Harvard, but for isolated incidents, such as the slaughter of the Lefkovits’ chickens, who were pets trapped in their own coop, and the previous killing of another chicken by the same dogs, Harvard should be able to impose maximum fines and to permanently confine the offending dogs. This should not be a threat to the rest of Harvard dog owners whose dogs are trained and under control.
Vicary Maxant
Glenview Drive
