Town Clerk Announces Newtown’s Top Dogs

By Steve Bigham

In May of 1993, Bill and Antoinette Higgins discovered an abandoned three-month English cocker spaniel at the top of their driveway. Tired and hungry, the little dog had been dumped there by an abusive owner, who, by all accounts, had made the little dog’s short life a living hell.

“We imagined she had been abused as a puppy because if anyone leaned over to stroke here, she would crouch down and howl uncontrollably,” Mrs Higgins explained.

The Higginses did not want a dog and tried hard to find a new home for their newfound orphan. There were no responders, however, and seven years later, Daisy is a beloved fixture in the Higgins home. And this week, Daisy’s life took another turn when she was crowned this year’s #1 dog in Newtown.

From abused dog to number one dog – it is a perfect story line for Town Clerk Cindy Simon’s annual contest. Daisy takes home a free, 40-pound bag of dog food and the #1 dog license for the year 2000, not to mention unparalleled glory for being Newtown’s top dog for an entire year.

“It was really nice to see something nice happen to a dog that didn’t have such a great beginning,” Mrs Simon said.

This year’s number one dog was based on who could come up with the oldest Connecticut dog tag – a new twist added in by the town clerk. The Higgins family presented a tag from 1907, which they had found at an antiques shop in Mystic. The unique find lifted Daisy to regal status. The lovable (yet still nervous) dog was crowned during a brief ceremony Wednesday morning at Edmond Town Hall.

Daisy likes cooked vegetables and rice mixed in with her dog food and loves going in the car.

“Maybe we’ll take Daisy in the Labor Day Parade in our old Morris Minor car. We could say we were ‘Driving Miss Daisy,’” Mrs Higgins joked as she gave her little dog a big hug.

Daisy takes over the crown previously held by Shade, a good natured Doberman Pinscher, owned by Henry and Patty Clark of Point O’ Rocks Road.

Brittany Named #2 Dog

Newtown resident Nicole Manka arrived at town hall Wednesday morning with five-year-old Brittany – Newtown’s #2 dog for 2000. The adorable mix Labrador/Lhasa apso appeared to be excited with her newfound glory, although she had run away for about an hour the day before.

Brittany’s owner, Nicole, a 1991 Newtown High School graduate, is married to Michael, and the couple lives in Dodgingtown.

 Brittany takes home a bag of dog biscuits and the #2 dog license for this year. The Manka pooch will likely have to share those biscuits with the Mankas’ other dog, a 110-pound Alaskan Malamute.

Both Daisy and Brittany will also receive a free rabies vaccination next year.

 The annual 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.

Rounding out the list of past winners are Plouffe, a four-year-old springer spaniel from Poverty Hollow Road in 1998, Nugget Nagy in 1997, Digger Wismar in ‘96 and Katie Duquette in ‘95.

Town Clerk Cindy 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.