RANDOLPH — The fate of a Great Pyrenees named Snow White who escaped her Elm Street home and bit another dog earlier this month hangs in the balance following a hearing before the Selectboard.
On Monday, the Randolph Selectboard heard testimonials before entering an executive session, which lasted over an hour. Approximately 15 people attended the public hearing virtually or in person at town hall.
The Selectboard made a decision, but has yet to announce it.
“Every few years, it seems like we have an incident that requires the Selectboard to conduct such a hearing,” Chairman Larry Satcowitz said at the meeting. “They’re always unpleasant.”
Randolph’s civil dog ordinance states that no dog shall run at large in the town, and that no dog shall harass or attack other animals or people if off its property. Nuisance, vicious or aggressive dogs are subject to impoundment or further confinement requirements, such as a muzzle, and the owner is subject to fees starting at $50 for a second offense.
The board called Monday’s hearing after an April 19 incident in which Snow White ran across the street from her home at 26 Elm Street and got into an altercation with Onyx, a 3-year-old male German Shepherd.
Onyx’s owner, Josh Blanchard, pulled his pistol on Snow White to stop the attack in the event he could not separate the two dogs, each weighing over 85 pounds. French’s aunt Tammy Munyon– who serves as town clerk– ran across the street and restrained Snow White, according to the police report.
While Blanchard did not report injuries at the time of the incident, he later discovered a deep gash on Onyx’s right rear leg, caused by a bite. The Country Animal Hospital in Bethel stitched up the wound and charged Blanchard $738, the bill for which was included in meeting documents.
Onyx is currently doing much better, but was restricted with a cone for multiple days following his hospital visit, Blanchard said Tuesday by phone.
Snow White’s owner, Ethan French, said during the hearing that intends to reimburse Blanchard for Onyx’s medical care, aside from a $30 rabies vaccination noted on the bill. Both dogs are up to date on their rabies shots.
While Randolph animal control officer Milo Cutler shared safety concerns related to Snow White’s behavior and tendency to escape during the public hearing, French said the bite was an isolated incident due to a dead battery in her shock collar.
“She’s a wonderful dog. She’s got a family to protect. She made a mistake,” said French.
But this isn’t the first time Snow White’s behavior has attracted the attention of town officials. In June 2022, Snow White escaped from a vehicle outside a Hale Street home and caused injuries to a dog belonging to Charles and Donna Weaver on Weston Street, according to 2022 meeting minutes.
At the last hearing, the Selectboard determined that Snow White’s behavior violated multiple ordinances for running at-large and attacking another animal.
The board required that there be a fence at the Hale Street home where Snow White frequented and that she be “muzzled and outfitted with a no-pull harness” when outside the fence, and be registered with the Town of Randolph.
Records provided in the town meeting packet show that French registered Snow White on April 20, one day after the most recent attack.
Part of the Selectboard’s 2022 decision stated that additional incidents in Randolph “will lead to the immediate removal and impoundment of Snow White,” as noted in the meeting minutes.
When Cutler spoke on Monday, she outlined reports of Snow White running loose or barking excessively between the 2022 hearing and now, adding that one report involved a No Trespass order by the now-closed Randolph Regional Veterinary Hospital against French when he allegedly yelled obscenities and threatened to break in after someone dropped off his dog in September of 2023.
Cutler believes that a town official requested the dog be released from impoundment, based on conversations with an animal hospital employee. Cutler asked the Selectboard why there were no repercussions following this incident, and said she did not receive an explanation.
Blanchard listed about 10 instances of Snow White running across the street. He noted that the vast majority of interactions have been harmless, but the attack earlier this month is a cause for concern.
“I don’t care what the dog does. I don’t care about these stipulations. When I care about them, is when it affects me,” Blanchard said over Zoom during the meeting.
While Blanchard noted that he does not want anything bad to happen to Snow White, he felt that the Selectboard choosing not to enforce the 2022 order is a problem.
“That’s how things just continue to happen and get worse, and then it turns into a bigger issue,” said Blanchard.
Munyon, who lives in the home with Snow White, said the dog is excitable but almost always friendly. She added that there is something “unsettling” about Onyx that may have prompted the aggressive behavior.
“Whenever she meets new dogs, she wants to go over, she wants to say hello, unless the dog snips at her. She has no intention whatsoever to go after another animal,” French said during the meeting.
Glenn Engel, a Randolph resident, told the board that he has known Snow White since she was a puppy. He said that she is gentle with people and even chased his chickens around without any intention of harming them.
Regardless, Blanchard noted that there is still risk involved.
“Say I was a little kid trying to walk my dog or something, what would have happened to that kid?” said Blanchard.
When Selectboard member Bethany Silloway suggested a fenced kennel, Munyon responded that due to the cost, all the family can promise at this time is to change the shock collar batteries on Snow White every few weeks to ensure it continues to function. A fenced kennel typically costs hundreds of dollars, based on online listings at Tractor Supply, Home Depot and Lowe’s.
Later in the meeting, Harold French — French’s grandfather who gave him Snow White about eight years ago — offered to donate a kennel he has with a chain-link fence.
After nearly an hour of testimonials, the Randolph Selectboard entered into an executive session, which lasted from about 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Upon return, Satcowitz said the board plans to put its decision in writing, which will be publicly available within the week.
