ACO Holmes covers Hartford for all domestic animal issues. That includes loose or stray animals, bite and scratch reports, welfare and neglect concerns, nuisance complaints, and questions about dog licensing and rabies compliance. For anything urgent, go through dispatch first. It is the fastest way to reach me and it gets the call on record.
📞 Emergencies and Urgent Calls
Oxford County Dispatch: 207-743-9554, Option 0
Use dispatch for any situation that needs a response right away — loose animals, bites, welfare emergencies, livestock on a road. This creates an official record and gets me moving.
📧 Non-Emergency Contact
For general questions, follow-ups, or non-urgent concerns: brandon@oxfordaco.com
⚖️ Serious Welfare, Neglect, or Cruelty Concerns
For situations involving active cruelty, hoarding, large-scale neglect, or anything that may require animal seizure, contact the Maine Animal Welfare Program directly. Humane agents are state employees. Their investigations and any resulting animal housing costs are handled at the state level, not by Hartford.
Maine Animal Welfare Program
📞 207-287-3846 | Toll-free: 1-877-269-9200
📧 animal.welfare@maine.gov
Hours: Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM
After-hours cruelty emergencies: Call the Maine State Police Bangor Barracks at 207-973-3700. They will contact an Animal Welfare Program representative.
⚠️ Lost or Found Animals
If you spot a loose animal, do not chase or call out. Note the location and direction of travel and report it through dispatch. Even a quick sighting can make a real difference in getting an animal home.
📋 Hartford Animal Control Ordinance
Hartford adopted its own Animal Control Ordinance at the June 14, 2012 Annual Town Meeting. It applies to all animals, not just dogs, and covers anyone who owns, possesses, or has custody of an animal in town.
At large. Animals must be under leash control when off the owner’s property. Dogs may be off-leash during a licensed hunt in a legal hunting season if under effective voice control.
Nuisance. An animal that barks, howls, or makes sounds continuously for 20 minutes or intermittently for one hour or more creates a nuisance. Animals are also prohibited at the Town Beach, with the exception of medically certified assistance animals. An animal that enters a public way to threaten or chase is also a nuisance.
Bite quarantine. If an animal bites a person, the ACO will serve the owner a quarantine notice. The owner must confine and control the animal for up to 45 days as ordered. Failure to comply can result in court-ordered seizure at the owner’s expense.
Impoundment. The ACO fee is $25 for the first impoundment and $50 for each subsequent impoundment of the same animal. Shelter fees apply in addition. Animals not reclaimed within 10 days are disposed of by adoption or otherwise under state law.
Penalties. First nuisance violation results in a written warning. Second violation is a civil citation up to $250 plus costs. Subsequent violations increase at the court’s discretion up to $1,000.
For the official copy of the Hartford Animal Control Ordinance, contact the Hartford Town Office or see the Hartford Code Enforcement page.
For more on Maine animal laws, see the Animal Control FAQ or the Maine Laws section.