Lowell Animal Shelter Makes It A Violation To Misrepresent Animal Origin

LOWELL -- Aldermen recently approved an ordinance making it a misdemeanor to knowingly take an animal to the Lowell Animal Shelter that wasn't found in the city limits.

No other city in the area has such an ordinance. Spokesmen for area shelters said it's their job to take in animals with no regard to where the animal was found, although that policy can lead to shelter overcrowding.

Fast Facts

Animal Shelter Statistics

• 7.6 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide every year. Of those, 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.

• Each year, 2.7 million animals are euthanized: 1.2 million dogs and 1.4 million cats.

• 2.7 million shelter animals are adopted each year: 1.4 million dogs and 1.3 million cats.

• About 649,000 animals that enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 542,000 are dogs and 100,000 are cats.

• Of the dogs entering shelters, 35 percent are adopted, 31 percent are euthanized and 26 percent of dogs who came in as strays are returned to their owner.

• Of the cats entering shelters, 37 percent are adopted, 41 percent are euthanized and less than 5 percent of cats who came in as strays are returned to their owners.

• About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.

Source: American Society For the Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals

"We had to do something," said Ray Drummond, Lowell animal control officer. "People were bringing in cats and dogs we later discovered were from the county, or another city. We're a small shelter. We couldn't handle animals from outside the city limits."

Overcrowding at the shelter sometimes caused employees to euthanize animals found in Lowell to make room for animals from outside the city limits, he said.

"We don't like to euthanize animals, but sometimes we have to. It makes it harder when we have to put a Lowell animal down for an animal from the county or another city," Drummond said.

It's not always possible to determine where an animal was found, he said.

"We can't trace every animal, but you'd be surprised what we learn on social media, such as Facebook or Craigslist," Drummond said.

Drummond said a woman brought in puppies she said she found in a Lowell park. She admitted -- after being questioned -- the puppies were from her dog and came from Rogers. She took the dogs to the Lowell shelter because she didn't like the Rogers shelter.

"The next day the same puppies showed up at our shelter. This time another woman said she found the puppies in her front yard. Through Facebook we learned the lady from Rogers was the granddaughter of the woman in Lowell and had talked her grandmother into dropping off the dogs. The woman actually put the event on her Facebook page explaining how she fooled us," Drummond said.

Drummond said he knew some people were misrepresenting the origin of animals, but until aldermen approved an ordinance addressing the problem, there was nothing he could do about it.

"The ordinance gives me authority to research the origin of the animal we are taking in. If I discover the animal is not from Lowell, I have a way to deal with the situation," Drummond said. He estimated about 10 percent of the animals taken to the shelter aren't from Lowell.

The ordinance provides for a fine of $85-$200 for misrepresenting the origin of the animal.

Courtney Kremer, manager of the Springdale Animal Shelter, said she knows some people who take animals to the shelter aren't telling the truth about where the animal was found.

"Although we may suspect the person isn't telling the truth, we take the animal anyway. That's our job to take any animal brought to the shelter," Kremer said.

If it's discovered the animal isn't from Springdale, in some cases the animal is taken to the Washington County Animal Shelter, she said.

"We take in between 2,000 and 2,500 animals a year. We know some people take a litter of puppies and drop them off at a shopping center where they will likely be found, or don't tell the truth about where the animal came from. Sure, it's a problem, but our job is to protect animals. It makes it difficult because it seems we are always at capacity at the shelter," Kremer said.

The story is same at the Fayetteville and Rogers animal shelters, officials said.

"We are a big shelter, but people who bring animals to us when the animal should go to the county shelter, or one of the other city shelters, is a problem," said Justine Lenty, supervisor of the Fayetteville shelter.

The Washington County Animal Shelter has helped reduce crowding at the Fayetteville shelter, Lenty said, but animals dumped in the city are still a problem

Daylan Schumacher, assistant manager of the Rogers shelter, said animals left in public places by people who no longer want it is a problem.

"We are always at or near capacity at the shelter. It puts a strain our shelter when people bring animals from outside the city to the shelter. We take the animals, because not only is that our job, it's better for the animal. At least if the animal is at the shelter there is the opportunity for the animal to find a good home with people who will treat the animal with respect, and give it the care and love it needs," Schumacher said.

Kim Wilson, office manager for the All Dogs Clinic in Rogers, said she sees no benefit for the shelter when people misrepresent the origin of the dog or cat.

"The Rogers shelter, like most shelters in the area, is always crowded. If people would take the unwanted animal to the proper shelter it might help reduce overcrowding," Wilson said.

NW News on 08/11/2014

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