Cage-free kennel plans are on a leash after appeal filed

Tails were wagging but now are sagging at Aunt Cynthia's Bed & Biscuit in Loomis.After months of information gathering and public input, the Loomis Planning Commission unanimously decided to allow Aunt Cynthia's, a cage-free kennel facility, to double the amount of dogs they cared for. Once a new facility was built, the number of dogs the kennel would be allowed to care for would increase from 20 to 40.But one day after the Dec. 18 meeting, council member Tom Millard filed an appeal that will bring the issue before the Town Council.In the appeal, Millward stated the reason for the appeal as "Review and add conditions and number of employees." In an interview Millward said, "It's OK with me if she has all the animals as long as she has enough employees overnight. I'm an animal lover and I want to be sure the animals are safe. I don't want anything to happen to them."Cynthia McCoy, owner of the Swetzer Road kennel/boarding facility, was surprised by the appeal given that "this has all been discussed at meetings and with the planning department."My life's purpose is to build the safest, healthiest and most environmentally friendly facility for dogs and cats," McCoy said. "My staff and I are with the dogs 24/7. They are never left unattended."Aunt Cynthia's has been using a modular unit and a cottage located on the property to house the dogs since a house fire last March killed four dogs and destroyed the original farmhouse. McCoy had been upstairs when the smoke alarms went off, but the fire started in the room where the dogs were and she was only able to save three.McCoy said she had an architect design a new facility to go on the site that she says is "environmentally friendly, energy efficient and green." The building contains four separate rooms, housing a maximum of 15 dogs and one caretaker in each. The planning commission approved the design review and the next step will be the issuance of building permits by the planning department.McCoy had originally requested an increase to 60 dogs when her new facility is built. The planning commissioners decided she could come back to the commission in six to 12 months for a review and to discuss an increase to 60 dogs.While many neighbors of Aunt Cynthia's came forward to applaud her efforts and to say that barking dogs were not an issue with the facility, there were other neighbors who did complain to the planning commission during the meetings when the project was discussed.Neighbor Tony Battistella attended a number of meetings and complained that he heard her dogs barking and that he feared a drop in his property values from being near a kennel facility."Even with only 15 dogs at a time out in the yard my sleep is still disturbed," he said.Aunt Cynthia's only allows 15 dogs out during the day in a play yard surrounded by soundproof fencing, according to McCoy. She said dogs are always accompanied by a handler, and any dogs that bark for more than a few minutes have to be taken back indoors. During the night, they are only brought out on an individual basis as needed, she added."I'm continuing (with the new building) full steam ahead," McCoy said.According to town officials, the appeal is not expected to come before the council until their February meeting at the earliest. Nancy Ucovich, an employee of Aunt Cynthia's, is also the wife of town council member Miguel Ucovich. In the past Ucovich, has abstained from voting on any matters regarding the facility.