ALTAMONT — After first presenting an amendment to the section of village code that regulates the control of dogs in May of last year, the Altamont trustees faced significant resident pushback, leading the board to table the proposal just a couple of months later

Now, 16 months after being rebuked, the board is back with a clear plan. 

A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5

Mayor Kerry Dineen explained at the time that some villagers, including herself, had thought Altamont had a leash law. When a complaint was made about unleashed dogs on a public street, Dineen said she advised the complainant to garner some support and come back to the board, which is what happened.

A month after introducing the law, trustees held a public hearing on the proposed amendment but took no action.

The changes were largely met with criticism during the public hearing, but Dineen sought to make clear that the amendments residents were railing against weren’t being proposed.

The proposed zoning change garnered a number of snide and low-information opinions, as many on social media appeared not to understand that an entirely new law wasn’t being introduced, only some 70 words would be added to the village’s existing statute, most of which has been in effect for 50 years.

The updated proposal is more robust in enforcement — laying out steps for complaints, investigation, and consequences, whereas the 2024 version left those mechanisms unclear.

Under Local Law No. 1 of 2025, any person who observes a violation may file a signed complaint under oath with the Altamont Police Department. The complaint must specify the dog’s objectionable conduct, date, description, and — if known  —  the address of the owner.

Once a complaint is received, the dog control officer or Altamont Police Department would be required to investigate. If warranted, a summons would be issued to the alleged violator. If the person failed to appear in court, the village justice may impose an additional fine, penalty, or even issue a warrant for arrest.

There would be a fine of up to $50 for a first violation, with penalty of up to $100 for the second, and $100 for every subsequent violation.

The 2025 law clarifies and reduces earlier ambiguity, for example, “Any dog that is not on private land with the knowledge, consent and approval of the owner of such lands, must be on a physical leash not to exceed 8 feet and under full physical control of such owner or person.”

 It also makes it “unlawful for any owner of or any person harboring any dog in the Village of Altamont to permit or allow such dog to … Be within ten ( 10) feet of a public playground containing playground equipment.”

But in a win for Fido, the new law removes explicit language that would have banned dogs from chasing or barking at cars.