Animal control says care for pets

• Cooler temperatures mean changing needs for pets; agency taking harder stand on animal neglect.

By JEFFERSON WEAVER
Staff Writer

No questions asked, no excuses accepted.

That’s the new policy for dealing with animal neglect in Columbus County, according to Animal Control Supervisor Rossie Hayes.

“People need to understand they have to have food, shelter and clean water for their pets,” Hayes said.

After a spate of highly publicized animal neglect cases, Animal Control officers are now seizing animals if an investigation shows owners aren’t providing sufficient care for their pets.

“If we’re called to a scene and see signs of neglect,” Hayes said, “the animal is gone.”

State law requires rainproof, weatherproof shelters be available for dogs, Hayes said. Whether or not an animal uses the shelter is not the point, Hayes said.

Hayes said animals’ needs change as the weather cools, but the basics are still there.

“You have to ensure they have clean water every day,” he said. “The shelter has to be free of feces and mold. The shelter should have shavings or other clean bedding.

“There isn’t as much of a problem with moss and mold in water dishes at this time of the year, but you still have to make sure the water is clean and fresh.”

Fancy doghouses aren’t necessary, Hayes said.

“Even a barrel can provide good shelter for a dog,” Hayes said. “It has to be secure, rainproof, and have good clean bedding. It can’t have any protruding nails or sharp edges that can cause an injury.”

The department has picked up three dogs in the past week that were lacking in basic essentials, Hayes said.

Owners can face fines or criminal charges if neglect is found, Hayes said, but often the courts return the animal to the original owners, who put the animal back in the same condition.

“We’re doing the animal a favor when we take it from an unhealthy situation,” he said, noting that the number of dogs being adopted at the county shelter is increasing, due to efforts by volunteers and an internet link to Petfinder.com.

“People try to tell me, ‘He won’t go in his doghouse’,” Hayes said. “There’s that old saying, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink. We understand that – but as the owner, you have to make sure the shelter is available. If the dog gets wet or cold enough, he’ll go inside.”

For more information about proper shelter for pets, call the Animal Shelter at 641-3945. To view the dogs and cats available for adoption locally, go to columbusco.org and click on the Animal Control tab.