After the retirement of long time Dog Control officer John Stow, the towns of North Harmony and Ellery have recently brought on a new DCO for the towns, adding to the long list of municipalities that are beginning to utilize the services of a boarding service in the town of Gerry.

While certainly not the first municipality to utilize the Gerry-based kennel, the towns will now have a spot to take animals when the Chautauqua County Humane Society is full.

Previously, Stow served as the dog control officer for both towns starting in December 2012. After 13 years, Stow believed it to be the time to move onto other life ventures and officially retired from the position at the end of 2025. Since Stow had given ample notice of his retirement, Ellery Town Supervisor Larry Anderson said the town began looking right away for somebody that would also have the space to take on dogs as overflow from the Chautauqua County Humane Society. Anderson said it just so happened that Ellery Town Attorney Neil Robinson had a connection for somebody that fit the role perfectly. Robinson mentioned Jeffrey Johnson of Gerry as a recommendation. Anderson noted that Johnson is not only serving as the Gerry dog control officer currently, but also has a large amount of kennel space that can be utilized when the Humane Society does not have room.

“We have a contract with Chautauqua County Humane Society on Strunk Road, so we’re one of a few towns that do have that. That if we do have an issue with the dog, our dog warden can take it there,” said Anderson. “That being said, sometimes they get overcrowded, and what Jeff really has is kind of like an overflow. If the Humane society cannot take on any more dogs, cats, or other animals then they cannot take them, and that’s where someone like Jeff comes in.”

This would not be the only town that Johnson has stepped up as the DCO of recently, as Anderson said Johnson is now also the dog control officer for the town of Ellicott. Even before taking on the role in Ellicott, Anderson stated that Ellery has been eying Johnson as the potential new officer for the town. With Anderson knowing that Stow’s retirement would also be costing North Harmony a dog control officer, he contacted North Harmony Town Supervisor Rob Yates to mention the new facility.

Yates would go on to reach out to Johnson about taking on the role for the town, which Anderson believed to be a good possibility being that the town borders Ellery. After reaching out to Johnson and getting confirmation that he would be willing to take on the role, Yates brought the motion to the board to approve. On Feb. 9, the board would unanimously vote to appoint Johnson as the new DCO and as the overflow kennel location for the town,, with Yates having noted that the town’s primary is still the SPCA.

“Well, Jeff has his own kennel, and he’s doing a few other municipalities,” said Yates. “Seems like a really good guy, we’re looking forward to working with him. Of course, we’re going to miss John and his humorous monthly reports, but John is moving onto other ventures.”