Three sessions set to recommend a new policy in Princeton
By Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
Princeton’s Vicious Dog Committee will be a fleeting creature.
It’s first meeting, 7 p.m. Thursday in the West Conference Room at Borough Hall, will be one of just three or so sessions before the committee issues recommendations to the Princeton Health Commission, of which it is a subcommittee.
”The Health Commission didn’t want this to go on indefinitely,” said Princeton Health Officer David Henry, who will serve as the committee’s chairman. “This is really a working subcommittee to come up with proposals, recommendations, then to lay the groundwork for implementation.”
The task force grew out of discussions of an ordinance approved unanimously by both the borough and township governing bodies that increased the licensing fee for dogs deemed “potentially dangerous.”
At the time, municipal officials noted that they are limited in how strict they can be with such dog-related laws because state statutes take authority.
Making recommendations for changes in the current state regulations pertaining to dogs — along with offering public education and reviewing enforcement issues — will be among the committee’s three primary objectives.
All are on Thursday’s inaugural agenda.
Committee members include representatives from both police departments, Animal Control Officer Mark Johnson, SAVE – A Friend to Homeless Animals Executive Director Karen Azarchi, Assistant Borough Attorney Karen Cayci, borough resident Carol Yam, and township residents Jeff Furey, Ruth Randall and Sue Tillett.
Mr. Henry said the committee is still looking for two more borough members.
Ms. Tillett, who is blind and gets around with the help her guide dog Wonder, was one of several borough and township residents who weighed in on the situation when the ordinance was being considered.
Though she said she would like to focus on lobbying to get more stringent state laws to govern consequences when guide dogs are attacked, she said she is “concerned about the whole issue.”
She added, “I think we really need to tighten up our laws — and we may need to tighten the state law to tighten up the local laws. I think this will also protect the dogs that are actually doing the attacking from having to be put down. I think it’s a good thing all the way around.”
All Vicious Dog Committee meetings are open to the public.

