Humane Society, Cause for Paws hosting informational event
Jun. 18—Education is the key.
When Lisa Terry assumed the helm of the Cass County Humane Society, she said she knew something would have to be done to help the community better understand animal rules. "All I heard when I started was how uneducated people were about the rules, ordinances, and how the animal control officer works," she said.
Stray cats and dogs running loose have always been a problem in Logansport, Terry said. But it doesn't have to be — if people could come together and work in ways that would help the animals, everyone could live in peace.
That's why the Humane Society, along with A Cause for Paws, is hosting an informational meeting at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 29, in the City Council Chambers, third floor of the City Building. City and county officials have been invited to attend, she said.
"We want the public to understand that their voices are being heard," Terry said, adding that many have expressed concern over how the animal ordinances and process to reclaim a dog or cat work.
She hopes this upcoming meeting will provide insight.
With the Humane Society's trap and release program already underway, with stray cats being released back into their communities after being spayed or neutered, Terry's next goal is to make sure neighborhoods aren't struggling with dogs running loose.
Whether it's a dog that has escaped a poorly erected fence or one that roams the streets with an aggressive manner, Terry wants people to know that no one linked to animal control is trying to make pet-ownership difficult.
"We're not trying to punish people. We're trying to keep animals safe," she said, explaining that if a dog gets picked up and taken to the shelter, chances are it was because the owner could not be reached, which means the dog couldn't be returned. The only option, then, would be placing it in the shelter so there would be no worries about the animal getting struck by a vehicle.
It's also a way to hold people accountable, she said. A first offense costs the owner $25 a day with each additional day that the animal remains at the shelter $5. Fees to claim the animal increase for additional offenses.
The monies don't contribute much to the expenses connected with housing someone's pet, but they do help with food and other costs associated with caring for the animals.
But when the shelter takes in 21 cats and 10 dogs, plus one chicken, in just one month — as reported by Logansport Police Assistant Chief Shawn Heishman at the recent Board of Works meeting — then the financial burden quickly adds up.
"It's your dog, whether unleashed, whether it may or may not be spayed, neutered, or if it bites, or is aggressive," Terry said. "Therefore, you are held responsible. So many people are confused as to why this happens, but it's for the safety of your dog."
And making sure the animals of pet owners are properly cared for and well kept should not be another's job. That's why Terry wants community input. She wants each person to know that someone is listening.
Discussions about city and county ordinances as well as proper reporting and animal pickup will all be addressed, she said. "We want to hear from neighbors ... so they know they're part of the solution."
Reach Kristi Hileman at kristi.hileman@pharostribune.com or 574-732-5150
