Once Her Number Was Up, But Now It’s #1

By Steve Bigham

This year’s #1 dog in Newtown has a rags to riches story with Town Clerk Cindy Simon playing the role of Fairy God Mother.

Just hours away from being destroyed, two-year-old Bacchus was rescued from the Hartford dog pound one year ago. Now this lovable boxer-terrier mix is living the good life, crowned queen for a year by Mrs Simon Monday at town hall.

“She was due to go down that day. It was her doomsday,” explained her owner, Newtown resident Amy Holm. “If she was a cat, she’d have one life left.”

Bacchus was just a puppy when an animal control officer picked her up off the streets of Hartford last summer. Locked in a cage, the lovable pooch waited for weeks for someone to claim her. No one ever came, however, and the city decided to put her down.

That is when the Monroe Adoption Network stepped in. The group had arrived to pick up three other dogs and, at the last minute, agreed to take Bacchus, too. Two months later, the 40-pound pooch was living in Newtown, basking in the sun on a 19-foot motor boat and riding the waves on a Jet Ski.

“She loves it. We put her right on the front,” Ms Holm said.

This week, Bacchus was presented with a basket of goodies, a pat on the head, and, of course, the #1 dog license. Bacchus will also receive a free rabies vaccination next year.

Bacchus was named after the Greek God of wine and merriment. Her owner is a wine connoisseur of sorts and always thought it “would be a cool name for a dog.” Bacchus will have to be careful not to let her number #1 dog status go to her head. Jesse, a six-year-old border collie, is still head of the household.

The annual number #1 contest, sponsored by the town clerk’s office, is an incentive for residents to comply with state regulations and license their dogs by June 30.

Past winners include Norway Kober, Daisy Higgins, Brittany Manka, Shade Clark, Maxwell Plouffe, Nugget Nagy, Digger Wismar, and Katie Duquette.

Mrs Simon said there are many Newtown dogs that still need to be licensed. She urges all dog owners to drop by town hall for a new license.