ACO Holmes covers Sumner 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 Sumner.
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.
📋 Sumner Dog Control Ordinance
Sumner adopted its own Dog Control Ordinance, originally passed in 2006 and most recently amended in June 2024. It adds local requirements on top of state law.
At large. No dog may run at large except for hunting. Dogs on a public way must be under restraint by leash or within a vehicle. Female dogs in heat must not leave the owner’s premises, and if taken out, must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet.
Nuisance. It is a violation to allow a dog to bark, howl, or make noise continuously for 10 minutes or more, or intermittently for 30 minutes or more, to the disturbance of any person. Dogs protecting or herding livestock during a legal hunt are exempt.
Impoundment. Dogs found at large are held for 8 days. Release requires proof of current licensing. Release fees are $15 (first impoundment), $20 (second), and $25 (third and subsequent), paid to the ACO or Town Clerk. Shelter board fees are $25 per day. If cruelty charges under Title 7 §4011 have been filed against the owner within the past 3 years, the dog remains at the shelter until a court judgment is made.
Penalties. First offense: $100. Second offense: $250. Third offense: $500. These are civil penalties and do not include shelter or legal fees. A warning may be issued before the first penalty for at-large violations.
For the official ordinance, see the Sumner Town Ordinances page.
For more on Maine animal laws, see the Animal Control FAQ or the Maine Laws section.