Dog Shooting In West Tisbury Is Lawful

West Tisbury animal control officer Joan Jenkinson has confirmed an incident involving a farmer who shot a dog that was killing his chickens last week.

Mrs. Jenkinson told the Gazette yesterday that while everyone involved is upset over what happened, no formal complaint will be filed. And it was completely lawful for the farmer to shoot the dog, she said.

“What happened was between the farmer and the dog,” Mrs. Jenkinson said. She described the events that took place on Sunday, Nov. 11.

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Chicken Massacre: Did Dog Do It? Court Will Hear DNA Evidence
CHRIS BURRELL

Chicken Massacre: Did Dog Do It? Court Will Hear DNA Evidence

By CHRIS BURRELL

The DNA results are in, the trial is Wednesday, and if you ask Joan
Jenkinson, she'll tell you she has the mass murderer dead to
rights.

But this is no ordinary murder case. The 11 victims are all
chickens. The defendant is a four-year-old dog from West Tisbury named
Serena and Ms. Jenkinson is the town's animal control
officer-turned-forensics expert.

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Selectmen Bite on Issue of Dog in West Tisbury
Jim Hickey

West Tisbury selectmen on Wednesday said they supported a zero tolerance policy for a Siberian husky who got loose earlier this year and killed chickens on two occasions in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven.

The husky, whose name is Mussa, now lives in West Tisbury with her owner Rebecca Garde. And while there have been no incidents, animal control officer Joan Jenkinson issued strong words of caution about the dog to the selectmen this week.

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One Wild Turkey, Four Gunshots Lead to Three Assault Charges
Jim Hickey

An aggressive and combative wild turkey was shot and killed by a Chilmark police officer last Sunday after it reportedly attacked two people dropping off rental baby equipment at a home on Old Ridge Hill Road and then briefly held them hostage inside their delivery van.

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Two Months On, Town Spares Dogs’ Lives, Seeks End to Saga
Remy Tumin

The contentious and sometimes emotional debate over the possible euthanization of two Akitas came to a conclusion this week when the West Tisbury selectmen ordered the animals into the ownership of an off-Island rescue group rather than destroy the dogs. Per the agreement between the town and the dogs’ owners, the dogs are never to return to the Island.

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Aquinnah Selectmen Take Action In January Dog Bite Incident
Remy Tumin

Aquinnah selectmen took disciplinary action this week against a dog owner whose Labrador retriever bit a houseguest in the face.

Selectmen learned that a yellow Lab rescue dog, Mac, belonging to Ariana Feldman, bit Benjamin Higgins in the face on Jan. 6 in a social situation, resulting in 32 stitches. Mr. Higgins was visiting Ms. Feldman for dinner. This was the dog’s second biting incident.

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