By K.B. Sherman, Contributing Writer
Shrewsbury – The status of the order issued by the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen in June regarding complaints of unruly dogs in the Westmont Road neighborhood was reviewed at its regularly scheduled meeting Aug. 27.
On June 11, Shrewsbury Animal Control Officer Leona M. Pease had brought before the selectmen the case of complaints from neighbors of Rolland Demers, of 31 Westmont Road, about unleashed dogs “Saydee” and “Pesky” roaming the neighborhood and allegedly causing problems for other property owners.
At that meeting, the board voted to postpone the meeting until June 25 due to issues of providing an interpreter for Demers who is deaf, confusion about who actually owns the dogs, and whether all parties in the dispute were being represented. At the June 25 meeting, an enforcement order was issued against Demers.
On Aug. 27, Pease presented the status of the enforcement action. She stated that the order had been partially satisfied through a combination of dog-control devices, including locking gates, fencing and fence footings, locked doors in the house, leashes, runs, crates, muzzles when the dogs are outside the property, and microchips to register ownership.
Pease also noted, however, that despite the steps taken, the dogs could not yet be considered secured and not a problem for the neighborhood. However, the board concluded that since partial compliance had been made, that no further actions were necessary as long as progress continued.
Also at the meeting, Town Manager Daniel J. Morgado noted that the Asian Longhorn Beetle infestation that was believed to have been stopped had instead escaped the confines of the clearing areas and had further advanced into Shrewsbury and Worcester, which will require further action.
Also discussed were requests from town residents to be hooked up to gas lines at the urgings of the gas provider. How this might be done without having to do so on a home-by-home basis was discussed, though no decision was made at this meeting.
