Officials from local law enforcement, towns and the county joined a discussion in Damariscotta April 25 about how such a county-wide animal control service system could work, if at all.

“I'm in favor of the idea of a collaboration among smaller groups of towns, if they choose to,” Westport Island selectman George Richardson said. “I'm not in favor of a county-wide ACO (animal control officer). I think it's going to cost Westport Island too much money.”

County Administrator John O'Connell opened up the meeting with a list of potential options: one or two full time animal control officers (sheriff's deputies with a vehicle) to oversee issues throughout the county; an increase in the number of ACO's in the county, with an increase in stipends; animal control services by geographic zones; a county-wide animal control service through Lincoln County Animal Shelter; or leave the current system as it stands.

Towns have a lot to consider. According to the data collected from Lincoln County towns, the estimated amount spent last year on animal control issues was about $45,000. Of that, towns paid $31,370 in ACO salaries; this does not include six towns who paid an hourly rate and did not show the number of hours collected, according to O'Connell.

A spreadsheet handed out at the meeting shows there are about 12 officers providing animal control services to the towns.

The conversation among those at the meeting indicated that top concerns were education of officers and the organization of some sort of system.

Workshop participants said towns routinely have difficulty finding help with some animal-related issues when the assigned ACO is unavailable.

How much time does an ACO spend on addressing animal control issues?

“Depends on the day,” ACO Kyle Emerson said. He covers full time for the towns of Jefferson, Nobleboro and Bristol, in addition to backing up services in other county towns. “Some days it's quiet. Other days … everyone seems to have a problem with either missing animals, running out to get a stray animal or neighbors having problems with their neighbor's dog.”

Mike Witte, an Animal Damage Control Agent with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, works with Emerson on several animal-related calls. He said Bristol had 102 domestic animal calls last year.

In July, August and the first week of September Witte said he gets called out to Pemaquid Beach and the nearby lighthouse almost daily. “People invariably lock their dogs in vehicles and this puts up red flags to anybody that walks by,” he said. “You'll get five calls in five minutes.”

In response to a question about the number of ACO's required, Witte said that one certainly would not cut it. However, an organized back-up team could address county-wide animal issues.

Betsy Pratt, Director of the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, and Wiscasset Police Sgt. Kathy Williams often work together to resolve domestic animal-related problems. In addition to their regular jobs, they respond to a great number of animal-related issues.

Williams said she responded to calls about goats on a lawn, chickens on a lawn, squirrel in a chimney, coyote in a ditch, a dead cat, a dog trespassing; and she had to perform CPR on a dog that had a heart attack – all last week and all in addition to her regular job.

“You try to do what you can,” Williams said. “When they call, they're a taxpayer, they want you to respond.”

Several supported the idea of a county animal-related database, a call center and a small team (two or three individuals) to handle emergency animal issues. However, there are a number of issues still requiring further discussion: How much would it cost? What towns would want to be involved? Those involved will continue to investigate the issue, and while a plan is not yet in the works, the interest in having a plan appears to be strong.