Saying the move will save some money and provide better services, the Board of Aldermen voted May 24 to give permission to Mayor Anthony Staffieri to sign an agreement that will see Woodbridge handle animal control services for Derby.
Derby will pay Woodbridge $42,000, according to a one-year contract reviewed by the Aldermen Thursday, May 24.
Derby had been paying $44,324 to pay for its own animal control officer and to maintain the Coon Hollow Road dog pound. That number included the $26,608 salary for a part-time animal control officer.
Now the city will pay about $2,300 less for access to two, full-time animal control officers and a better dog pound in Woodbridge.
The Derby dog pound came under fire in April after animal control officers from Oxford were brought in to cover for the Derby part-time officer, who walked off the job. Oxford said the pound was a mess and a pit bull needed immediate medical attention.
Derby police denied Oxford’s assessment of the situation, saying the facility was acceptable under state law.
In a report to the Derby Police Commission, Chief Gerald Narowksi said he began looking into regionalizing animal control services in March, a month before the controversy.
The Coon Hollow Road dog pound will not be “mothballed” and kept as back-up in case the new arrangement doesn’t work out.
The chief’s report points out the aging Derby dog pound, if re-opened, would need repairs down the road, such as a new septic system.
According to an agreement between Derby and Woodbridge, Woodbridge officers will handle all aspects of animal control, including the handling of stray, sick, injured or vicious animals. They’ll also investigate allegations of cruelty or neglect.
Derby police will still respond to animal calls when warranted, as they always have, the chief said. An example — if a rabid animal needs to be put down, a police officer will do it, just as the police officer had done when Derby had its own animal control officer.
