I don't read the local paper too often but just saw it in the library. Cover story is they've laid off the animal control officer, the rescue group the next town over is closed meaning the nearest shelter is maybe 45 minutes away. What this means is the animal control officer who's been there since 2009 is out of a job. She went above and beyond on the job being available basically 24/7. She was out in all weather and did far more than her job description called for. The closest shelter is now 45 minutes away-by car-in an area where at least half of the population uses public transport. What if you don't have a car but you have the means to care for a dog or cat? Maybe you can find a cab driver that will help you out, but the bus doesn't allow anything except service dogs...and you have to beg and plead for that. They might let you get by with a small cat carrier. But you can see the transportation issue being a big problem. Even for those of us with cars that shelter is in a war zone. Not so nice parking and coming out to find a window smashed. The shelter in question made a big deal over telling the paper they do not euthanize for lack of space. Only as a last choice option indeed. The cats for instance...we adopted a cat from them who had no name only a number. There are dogs from that shelter online but only a small percentage. Obviously it's libelous towards the organization but you know they don't just happily hold on to all the creatures that pass through their doors. An estimate might be 100 dogs a week euthanized in reality, the cats too many to count. The city of Newark is huge. You know if a cat comes in looking less than a survivor, a dog who growls at a handler as he comes in, those animals probably won't even make it to a kennel. This shelter looks like a human super max and now it's the only official animal service group in the area. There are rescue groups that foster all over the place but there aren't enough groups to go around for all the creatures. We have among the highest taxes in the state and they can't spring for a shelter where it's needed? Just so disgusted, going out to burn a Christie effigy to feel a bit better. ( For those of you nowhere remotely local-Chris Christie is the obese, crude, governor of New Jersey, aye I'll save him for another rant).
Sorry to read this, it sounds a far from happy state of affairs. Whose duty will it be to pick up strays, or investigate cases of cruelty and neglect? The overburdened police and the SPCA I suppose. As usual, it will be the pets that will pay the ultimate price. We will have to hope that local charities are able to do some fund raising and step into the breach, or that people will help each other out with transport, so one can guard the car while the other person views at the shelter. Is there any chance that a petition to reinstate the Control Officer might work?
Hopefully someone will see the major error in all the Animal Control cutbacks cities seem to be making lately. It has been decided since traffic camera's are illegal without a cop present to issue the ticket, that to makes up to anywhere from 1 million to 8 million by city size, they will be cutting back animal control, game wardens, and some shelters in Ohio also, while at the same time having a cat over population so bad, it is now legal to trap them and release elsewhere. Cats are now under wildlife instead of pet, and homes are restricted to 6 cats.
