MONTAGUE — The Selectboard voted to euthanize a dog that was deemed dangerous by both its owner and the town at the conclusion of a brief hearing on Monday.

Jax, a brindle pit bull mix owned by N Street resident Nicholas Pratt, had been declared “both a nuisance and a dangerous dog” in May 2022 after the Selectboard learned it had “escaped from its enclosure on numerous occasions,” attacked a man with a small child on the street, barked excessively, was unlicensed and was not vaccinated against rabies. Since signing a compliance agreement with the Montague Police Department that outlined eight conditions on June 2, the agreement was violated on several occasions, according to Animal Control Officer Calin Giurgiu.

Conditions violated by Pratt, Giurgiu said, included having Jax muzzled, having him bound by a run in the yard and having to fix a broken fence enclosing the yard.

Photos of Jax unmuzzled and untethered in the yard were contributed by neighbor Christopher Brown, who said his photos were taken just after Pratt received his order in May. Brown added that in the time since, he had never seen Jax muzzled or bound to the run. Additionally, recent photos provided by Giurgiu showed a broken fence.

“I tried to work with Nicholas Pratt,” Giurgiu told the board. “I gave him a lot of breaks and a lot of time to do the fence. He had the whole summer. Probably was busy, but that’s not an excuse.”

Giurgiu added that Pratt “refused to talk” when he knocked on the door, despite seemingly being home.

“When I approach the door, I could see the dog inside,” Giurgiu noted. “He’s aggressive the way he is. I back off because I don’t want the dog to damage the door. No one came to the door to talk to me.”

Pratt, who agreed with the Selectboard’s decision to euthanize Jax, took accountability for violating the board’s orders. Between the muzzle failing to stay fastened and his elderly mother not remembering to properly restrain Jax when she looked after him, fulfilling the conditions set forth was a challenge, he said.

Jax “actually has gotten even more aggressive,” even toward Pratt himself, the owner told the Selectboard.

“I have tried to work with him and I even brought him to a doggie day care type of thing and people won’t even work with him,” Pratt added. “I believe it would be better if he was just put down. I don’t know what else to do or say, and I apologize to everyone who’s been scared. I just think it’s better if he’s euthanized, to tell you the truth.”

Pratt, Giurgiu and the Selectboard agreed to have Jax euthanized within 24 hours of Monday night’s hearing, which concluded in around half an hour.

Reach Julian Mendoza at 413-930-4231 or jmendoza@recorder.com.

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