The state Legislature and governor have approved Wareham's repeal of a 1994 bylaw that took responsibility for dog "dangerousness" hearings out the hands of Selectmen and placed it in the hands the police chief. Now, Selectmen are back in the dog business.

Town Meeting voters approved the new dog bylaws at Town Meeting in the spring of 2012, but the state law needed to be repealed before the bylaws could go into effect.

"I think this gives you an idea of how long it takes to get even the simplest piece of legislation through," said Selectmen Chair Peter Teitelbaum.

The bylaws clarify the responsibilities of dog owners, and define what makes a dog "dangerous" or "at-risk."

A Dog Bylaw Committee was established by Town Meeting in spring 2012, where Animal Control Officer Cheryl Gorvett-Dill requested the creation of dog bylaws for Wareham.

The passage of the bylaws was delayed at the 2012 fall Town Meeting due to the fact that Governor Deval Patrick signed “An Act Further Regulating Animal Control” into law, which gave the committee 32 pages of new state regulations it had to ensure the local bylaws were in compliance with.

The bylaws establish exceptions to the rules classifying certain dogs as dangerous or at-risk. The exceptions may apply to dogs that bite trespassers, if a person is tormenting the dog, or if the dog is protecting itself or its owner.

If a dog is ruled to be dangerous, it could face a number of penalties including euthanization, having a microchip implanted, being tattooed or being kept in a secure enclosure.

The financial penalties for violating the regulations regarding dangerous dogs or dogs at-risk of being dangerous are a $50 fine for the first offense, a $100 fine for the second offense within a 24-month period, a $200 fine for the third offense within a 24-month period, and $300 fines for four or more offenses within a 24-month period.

There are also proposed rules for dogs that are barking or howling excessively between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., or be in excess of 20 minutes between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Violations of the barking regulations will result in a warning for the first offense, a $25 fine for the second offense within a 12-month period, a $50 fine for a third offense within a 12-month period, and $100 fines for four or more offenses within a 12-month period.