Animal Control Officer
The Animal Control Officer (ACO) responds & enforces the Animal Control bylaws & regulations of the Town of Goshen to ensure the health and safety of the public in accordance with M.G.L. chapter 140 ,sections 136A through 174D and Chapter 272, sections 77 through 80B. The Animal Control officer works closely with the Goshen Police department and other Municipal officials.
The Animal Control Officer is on-call 24/7 and can be reached at the appropriate phone number to the left. Residents can also file complaints, concerns, or ask animal related questions via this email animalcontrol@goshen-ma.us.
For lost, nuisance or stray animals contact the Animal Control Officer using the information to the left.
Dog licenses:
All dogs over six (6) months of age MUST obtain a license in The Town of Goshen.
Licenses expire on March 31st of every year. Licenses renewed on or after June 1st each year will be assessed a $25.00 late fee per dog by the Town Clerk. Visit the Town Clerk web page and click on the Dog Licenses menu item for more licensing info.
Animal Inspector
The Select Board nominates an Animal Inspector annually and the State Division of Animal Health appoints the Animal Inspector, as it does for every city and town in the Commonwealth. The primary duty of the Animal Inspector is rabies control in the domestic animal population. He or she has the authority and responsibility to quarantine any animal.
The Animal Inspector works closely with the Animal Control Officer when there is a rabies concern, especially as a result of an animal bite. In these cases, the Animal Control Officer will contact the Animal Inspector. Any domestic mammal, which bites a human or another domestic mammal, must be quarantined for a period of ten days to determine the risk of rabies transmission. The Animal Inspector initiates and releases the quarantine.
For rabies concerns, animal bites to humans or domestic animal, and barn inspections contact the Animal Inspector using the information above and to the left.
Animal Inspectors are also responsible for barn inspections and may be called to assist with domestic animal disease quarantines in the event of an outbreak. The barn inspections are typically done in the late summer, early fall and must be completed by January 1. The purpose of the inspections, in addition to getting a good count of the domestic animal population, is to ensure the health and welfare of the animal.
Livestock Owners: ID Ear tags for cattle, swine, sheep, or goats over 1 year old are available. Contact Carry Shulock–Sexton at (617) 626-1797 in the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.
Poultry Owners: Free salmonella & avian influenza testing are available. Contact the Massachusetts Division of Animal Health at (617) 626-1795.