A Rochester couple will have to start muzzling their dog after the Rochester Board of Selectmen held a public hearing to address an incident that happened in late March. Several Rochester residents showed up to Town Hall on the evening of Monday, June 4 to attend the hearing.
According to Jamie Martin and Liam DeLowery of Bowen Lane, their dog Moto, a Chihuahua, was attacked by the dog of Margaret and Ralph Gifford of Rounseville Road.
In a letter submitted by Martin and DeLowery to the Selectmen, Martin and DeLowery were awoken by a scream on the morning of March 24 when they went outside and found Moto in two pieces in their yard. Gifford said she dropped the leash when two other dogs approached her dog Daisy and they began fighting. Martin and DeLowery brought Moto to the vet in Marion, but had to put it down.
DeLowery and Martin requested that the Board of Selectmen mandate the Gifford’s put a muzzle on Daisy to prevent a repeat occurrence of this incident.
“If she drops the leash again, is it going to kill another dog?” asked Martin. “She does not have control of the animal.”
Daisy, who is a mixed breed of what the Gifford’s believe to be a combination of Labrador Retriever and Poodle, is nine-years-old. Her owners claim that since they adopted her at age two, they have never had a problem with her attacking other dogs and they have always walked her on a leash.
However, several residents of Bowen Lane said they have heard Margaret Gifford warn that her dog does not handle animals and children well. DeLowery feels a muzzle would be the appropriate resolution to this problem.
“I’m not asking the dog to be euthanized, just for it to be muzzled,” said DeLowery.
After some brief discussion, the Selectmen voted unanimously to mandate the use of a muzzle. However, the Selectmen said the Gifford’s do have the right to appeal the decision.
“I hope that this is a way of resolving this,” said Selectman Chair Richard Nunes. “It’s a tough situation all around.”
In other news, Town Administrator Richard LaCamera said the town is currently exploring the possibility of bringing a solar farm and / or a wind farm to Rochester for alternative sources of energy. The two companies are based in Plymouth and Buzzards Bay, respectively.
LaCamera said while the contracts are still under negotiations, the town will receive up to 25 percent in discounts. The projects were approved at the Rochester Annual Town Meeting.
“It’s very favorable,” said LaCamera. “It could save up to $50,000 in electricity for the year. It’s a good thing.”
The Selectmen also appointed Bob Francis to the Planning Board and Christopher Faustino to the Park Commission.
The Rochester Board of Selectmen will meet again on Monday, June 18 at 7:00 pm in Town Hall.
By Katy Fitzpatrick