§ 22-331 — Municipal animal control officers. Assistants.

Connecticut § 22-331

• Jurisdiction: Connecticut
• Title 22: Agriculture. Domestic Animals
• Ch. 435: Dogs and Other Companion Animals. Kennels and Pet Shops

Text

(a) In each municipality of the state having a population of more than twenty-five thousand which has adopted the provisions of chapter 113, or otherwise provided for a merit system for its employees, the chief of police, or such other appointing authority as the charter may designate, shall, appoint a full-time municipal animal control officer and such assistants as are deemed necessary, subject to the provisions of said chapter 113 or other merit system, to administer and enforce the laws relating to dogs or other domestic animals. Any person so appointed may be or become a member of the police department and for such purpose the legislative body of such municipality may waive any requirements as to age, sex, physical condition, education and training applicable to other members of the police department. Any person so appointed as a member of the police department shall be fully eligible to participate in the retirement system of such department. (b) Except as provided in section 22-331a , the chief or superintendent of police in each other city or town having a police department and the selectmen or chief executive officer in each town which has no police department, or such other appointing authority as the charter of such town may designate, in their respective jurisdictions, shall appoint a municipal animal control officer and such assistants as are deemed necessary to administer and enforce the laws relating to dogs and other domestic animals. Such officer and assistants shall have such qualifications as the commissioner may prescribe and shall serve for a term of at least one year. (c) Each appointment made under the provisions of this section shall be reported promptly to the commissioner. Each person appointed under the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall, and any person appointed under the provisions of subsection (b) of this section may, be paid a salary and expenses in lieu of the fees provided in section 22-334 and the amount thereof shall be transferred from the dog fund account to the appropriation of the proper department. (d) The municipal animal control officer so appointed in any municipality the limits of which are not coterminous with those of the municipality in which it is located shall have authority as such municipal animal control officer throughout such town, and the town treasurer or other fiscal officer shall annually reimburse the municipality, from the dog fund account, for the salaries and expenses of such officer or his or her assistants. The municipal animal control officer so appointed in any town having a borough within its limits shall have authority as such municipal animal control officer throughout the limits of such town. If, in any municipality, the officer or officers charged with such duty fail to report such appointment, the commissioner shall notify such officer or officers to make and report such appointment within ten days of receipt of such notification, and, if such appointment is not made within such time, the commissioner shall appoint a municipal animal control officer for such municipality. (e) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any special act, municipal charter or ordinance, any chief elected official of any municipality or a regional animal control facility may appoint, on a temporary basis not to exceed ninety days, any animal control officer or regional animal control officer appointed pursuant to this section or section 22-331a , as applicable, to act as an animal control officer in such municipality or region. Any animal control officer or regional animal control officer who provides services pursuant to an appointment made in accordance with this subsection shall have all the powers and authority granted to such animal control officer in the municipality or region in which such officer is appointed. Any such appointment made pursuant to this subsection shall be made in writing and be approved by each of the chief elected officials of the municipalities affected by such appointment and by each regional animal control facility that is affected by such appointment. Such written appointment shall include, at a minimum, information concerning the compensation to be paid to such officer, insurance provided to such officer and the use of equipment, if any, for such officer. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall be notified, in writing, of any such appointment made pursuant to this subsection not later than five days following such appointment.

Legislative History

(1949 Rev., S. 3378; 1953, 1955, S. 1816d; 1963, P.A. 613, S. 4; February, 1965, P.A. 144, S. 1; P.A. 91-59, S. 4; P.A. 93-435, S. 33, 95; P.A. 15-103, S. 1; P.A. 21-90, S. 5.) History: 1963 act made previous provisions Subsecs. (b) and (d), added provisions re appointment of wardens in towns of more than 25,000 population as Subsec. (a), restated provisions in Subsec. (b) re other towns and cities, added Subsec. (c) re report to commissioner of appointments made and allocations for appointees' salaries, revised Subsec. (d) to require town treasurer to reimburse city for wardens' salaries and expenses where town and city boundaries not coterminous and deleted previous provision re warden's power to employ assistants and his duty to report their appointment to commissioner; 1965 act added references to merit system for employees in Subsec. (a); P.A. 91-59 replaced references to “local dog warden” with references to “municipal animal control officer”; P.A. 93-435 made certain technical and grammatical revisions, effective June 28, 1993; P.A. 15-103 amended Subsec. (b) by adding “and other domestic animals”; P.A. 21-90 amended Subsec. (d) by changing references to “city”, “town” and “city or town” to “municipality” and making a technical change and added Subsec. (e) re temporary appointment of animal control officer or regional animal control officer, effective June 28, 2021. Cited. 13 CA 124. City's acts or omissions in appointing and supervising animal control officer under section were discretionary and not ministerial. 150 CA 769. Subsec. (a): Legislature did not intend that there be a private cause of action. 284 C. 772. Private remedy implied in statute because plaintiff was a member of the class benefited by statute, a private remedy was consistent with statute's underlying purposes and legislature's intent, and for public policy considerations. 98 CA 271.