Volume 28, Number 50
Friday, December 16, 2022
www.towntimes.com
Middlefield votes to keep kennel in town
MIXED MEDIA
By Nicole Zappone Town Times
At the Middlefield Board of Selectman meeting on Dec. 5; board members discussed whether or not to keep Animal Control in town and ultimately voted to keep the facility open. First Selectman Bob Yamartino reviewed with the board previously about potentially moving forward with an agreement with Larkin’s Run. Larkin’s Run is a pet boarding and grooming facility located in Durham. Selectman Carol Bufithis had received a letter from resident Taryn Ruffino about being unable to attend that evening. In the letter, Ruffino discussed being upset to hear about the kennel closing and sending business to Durham.
This beech tree at entrance to the campus of the Independent Day School in Middlefield stubbornly clings to its fall foliage in contrast to the wintery scene around it. The campus is located at 115 Laurel Brook Road. Bronwyn Commins, for Town Times
“We have a full-service resort and kennel in Middlefield that has historically served our kennel and rabies quarantines in the past,” Ruffino said in the letter. “When there were issues a few years made with ACO (Animal Control Officer), Nancy Hersey, the resort owner, offered to buy and maintain a kennel water filtration system for us.”
A tasty time at scout event
Ruffino then went on in the letter to say that the kennel in Middlefield was an Eagle Scout project with some updates that should be maintained. She also suggested that the community could hold a fundraiser to help support the kennel.
Town Times staff
The 2017 issue that caused controversy
A local scouting event gave youngsters a chance to make gingerbread houses and also learn about scouts.
Ruffino was talking about two dogs that had been in the kennel for approximately two months back in 2017, with no one coming forward. David Chowaniec, the animal control officer, had difficulty getting them adopted, and unfortunately, he ended up with one dog receiving emergency surgery, removing 18 rawhide chews from the dog.
Kindergarteners and their famiies were invited to join Pack 33 at the Middlefield Community Center Dec. 13. Members of Troop 33G, from Middlefield and Durham, helped with the activities. Members of the Lions Den, along with Cubmaster Mike Olszewski, also welcomed guests and gave them a chance to learn more about scouting. Everyone played, sang and created gingerbread houses together.
Kindergarterners, from left: Braxton, Luca, Reagen, Sam, Cam, and Anya pose with their gingerbread houses, along with Scout Cecilia Fenwick from Troop 33G. The scouting event took place at the Middlefield Community Center, Dec. 13.
Animal rights groups had been making complaints to the prior Selectman, and the dog watering system had been installed that summer. At the time, the Board of Selectman stated that if they wanted to pay for it, to let them put it in. That summer was scorching, and the dogs were in distress. The animal rights group thought they would rescue them. There was a tip and See Kennel, A4