Can Mark Harper Work 24/7?

At the Board of Finance's public forum earlier this month, and with great resident support, Weston Animal Control Officer Mark Harper pleaded with the board to have $7,000 in funding restored for his assistant, from $8,000 to $15,000 dollars. 

"I've had this job for 20 years," Harper said. "It's the first time that I haven't had at least one assistant. He or she is essential to the operation of this town.

"For $8,000, I can't afford to get someone to cover my days off, or if I'm sick, or nights or weekends," he said. "There's going to be a tragedy."

When contacted for comment, First  Selectman Gayle Weinstein noted, "given the level of activity, I believe the level of funding is adequate."

However, the issue may be more complex, according to Board of Finance Chairman Mike O'Brien.

"It involves the town employees' union," he wrote to Patch. "The number in the budget is for part time help. The Town may work out an alternative solution by having support from other towns when Mark would be unavailable due to vacation or weekends. This is a work in progress."

Harper's office handles roughly 1,100 calls per year for problems relating to both wildlife and domestic pets.

"You name it, we've done it," he said. "Rescuing hawks, ducks out of chimneys, fawns...this time of year especially I'll be doing a lot of rabies investigations."

Weston did not have a rabies problem until 1991, but it has returned every year since. Roughly 200 people in town have been inoculated against rabies at Harper's suggestion after possible exposure to the quick-striking and often-fatal disease.

"People are most often exposed by their dogs," he said. "The dog gets in a fight with a raccoon, the owner rescues the dog from the fight, and the dog is covered in the raccoon's saliva."

Harper then euthanizes the raccoon and brings it to the Board of Health for rabies testing.

"Once the owner touches the dog and the saliva, I always recommend getting inoculated against rabies. Bats are another source," he added.

According to Harper, raccoons are the number one carrier of rabies. Only about two percent of the bat population has rabies, "but we have rabid bats in town," Harper said. 

"Bat bites do not look like vampire puncture wounds," he said. "They look like a tiny little scratch."

In addition to handling potentially fatal rabies calls, Harper helps residents with domestic pet problems. 

"People think of dogs and cats as children," he said. "I fully support the schools, but we have other children as well, and they're our domestic animals."

In Harper's view, the money "is insignificant when you look at the total budget," he said.

"It's pennies on the dollar — pennies," he said. "This money will provide an essential service to the taxpayers, and provide a safety barrier for the animals."

Harper has not considered what he'll do if the budget is not funded. 

"I'm going to continue to [try to] get my assistant funded properly," he said. "I'm hoping that my reputation in the community will give the board the attitude that I'm correct about this issue.

"I will wait to see what happens," he added.