Cobleskill Tackles Dog Issues

COBLESKILL - It comes as no surprise to anyone that the rampant issues with aggressive dogs still plagues Schoharie County as a whole. However, at the last Cobleskill Town Board meeting, an interesting proposal was put forth.

Over the past few months, more and more problems with dog bites have been reported across the county, with a few even hospitalizing their owners.

Some municipalities, like Blenheim or Schoharie, have been trying to combat this growing problem with quick fixes. But with the County Board of Supervisors’ non-committal attitude toward a bigger solution, things have come to a standstill.

However, the Cobleskill Town Board held their regular monthly meeting last Monday evening, and Supervisor Werner Hampel proposed the idea of refitting and leasing their dog kennel for others to use.

At present, the kennel is a small building that can hold about four dogs, with the possibility of more if they come from the same household. Additionally, it’s comfortable enough for the dogs, offering heat and raised beds so they aren’t laying on hard concrete.

Although they still have to go through a few inspections and repairs, Supervisor Hampel proposed the idea of renting out some space for Richmondville, Sharon, Summit, and other surrounding townships.

Supervisor Hampel further stated that while they still have their own dog control officer that uses the space, they rarely, if ever, hold four dogs at the same time within the premises. Being town property, Cobleskill’s needs would come first, but the extra space would be open for rentals.

While it’s not an overarching solution to the county’s problem as a whole, it could be a crucial investment for the DCOs that aren’t able to house aggressive or dangerous dogs.

Nevertheless, this is a project for the long term. Supervisor Hampel warned that they wouldn’t be able to do much with the kennel until January, and it may be even longer until it’s fully functional and ready for rentals.

However, the project seems to have garnered the support of the other Board members, so it could only be a matter of time until something comes to fruition.