On a cold morning in January 2023, an off-leash German Shorthaired Pointer moved first for the chickens. Shane Klementis sprinted toward the coop, but before he could intervene, the dog had already killed two of his hens. As he grabbed the dog, a shock from its electric collar sent it into a frenzy. The dog’s eyes went black, according to Klementis, and in an instant, it lunged — clamping its jaws around Klementis’ wrist. Blood poured from the wound as he struggled to break free.

“I could have died,” Klementis, 53, said. “I don’t want this to happen to somebody else. What if it had been my kid, my little daughter, or my 80-year-old mother? They could have been killed.”

Klementis, the owner-operator of Woodstock based Klementis Excavating LLC, lives on his family’s nearly four-acre property, which has been passed down through four generations over the past 125 years. His land borders the Thorn Preserve, 60 acres of walking paths operated by the nonprofit Catskills Center, with no fencing or natural barriers, allowing off-leash dogs to roam freely onto his property. Without a fence or other obstruction, off-leash dogs, although banned from the preserve, have easy access to his land, which he says creates an ongoing safety risk for his family. Klementis told The Overlook that he would like to put up a fence, but the property that borders the field has legal covenants that won’t allow a fence. He sued after the attack but was unable to prove the dog’s vicious propensity, as there was no record of prior aggression.

Now more than two years later, the problem of off-leash dogs in the preserve remains unresolved —and actually has gotten worse—according to Klementis and some other residents who use the area for exercise and recreation.

Klementis’ case is not isolated. Multiple residents have reported energetic and aggressive off-leash dogs at the Thorn Preserve. Deb Burklund, a long-time visitor to the preserve, recalled being jumped on by an off-leash dog while walking. “I love dogs,” she said, “but this is dangerous. It could have been a child.”

Despite the town’s leash laws, and signs on the preserve, enforcement remains a problem. The Woodstock Police Department and Dog Control Officer Adam Saunders have struggled to manage off-leash violations at the preserve. “I floated the idea of patrolling,” Saunders said. “But it’s private property. I can’t do that without the owners’ authorization.” 

In a Feb. 11 meeting with Woodstock Police Chief Clayton Keefe, Klementis said the chief stated that the department is actively working on addressing the issue and encouraged him to continue reporting off-leash dogs—which he does nearly every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Still, Klementis feels the town and the Catskills Center can do more to ensure leash laws are enforced on the preserve.

Bill McKenna, Woodstock’s Town Supervisor, confirmed that the town cannot patrol the preserve unless requested by the Catskill Center. “It’s not our job to patrol private property,” he said. “If they want enforcement, they need to fund it.”

Jeff Senterman, Executive Director of the Catskill Center, acknowledged the growing problem. “We’ve increased signage and educated visitors, but we don’t have the staff or funding for full enforcement,” he said. The organization has considered banning dogs entirely but has yet to make a decision. “Banning dogs is the last thing we want to do,” Senterman said. “But we have to consider safety.”

Brent Le Rash, Communications Manager for the Catskill Center, pointed out efforts to distribute free leashes and survey visitors about their concerns. However, he admitted that many dog owners continue to ignore the rules. “We’re hoping to decide on next steps before spring,” he said.

For Klementis, the lack of action has had devastating consequences. The attack cost him more than a year of wages because of mobility issues from the dog attack, and he remains unable to afford the surgery doctors recommended for his nerve damage. His lawsuit against the dog owner was settled and dismissed in January, but he received little compensation. Beyond his personal losses, Klementis fears for his family’s safety. “I have 80-year-old parents that live in that house over there. I have small children, and nobody feels safe here anymore.”