The East Hampton Town Board on Tuesday rejected Councilman Dominick Stanzione’s proposal for new legislation that would require all homeowners to install steps in their pools in an attempt to prevent household pets from drowning.
Mr. Stanzione introduced the legislation and talked about it briefly at a Town Board work session on February 21. He said he was proposing the law in part because of concerns residents have raised because of dogs dying after being unable to climb out of a pool.
“Extrapolating that for a child brought my concern to a higher level,” Mr. Stanzione said.
If enacted, the legislation would be retroactive, applying to all pools that currently exist. Residents who don’t have stairs in their pools could be issued a notice of violation by town building inspectors, Mr. Stanzione said.
A self-described dog lover, Supervisor Bill Wilkinson said he has a 6-year-old Labrador. But the supervisor said he was opposed to Mr. Stanzione’s proposal, which would mandate all 6,400 pools in town to have steps installed at a cost he estimated at $500 per pool. That would require pool owners to spend a total of about $3.2 million, he noted.
The supervisor said he did not even think the legislation should be put up for a public hearing, adding that from what he understands, stairs may not even prevent all dogs from drowning.
“My Lab is like a daughter to me,” he said. “But stop it. You have to take some responsibility to yourself.”
Mr. Stanzione mentioned that representatives of the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons had suggested the idea to him. “It’s an important subject that some people feel would save pet lives,” Mr. Stanzione said.
Councilwoman Sylvia Overby said she didn’t think the law was necessary, and that town officials should turn their attention to stricter enforcement of a town law that requires pool owners to maintain fences around their pools.
In the end, Mr. Stanzione did not have the support he needed for the board to schedule a public hearing on the law.
Rohma Abbas on Feb 28, 2012