[violaine]

I have a couple of questions.

What was her answer when asked about "counseling" owners who called to surrender their pets? Is there any type of "counsel" given into other options verses total surrender?

She said that when a person wants to surrender an animal, they are asked to fill out a card with any info that they have on the pet. She said that they receive both strays and family pets as surrenders CHACO assistant- said that they will try to "work with" the owner if they are surrendering a pet, such as giving the owner a bag of dog food (if surrender is for a financial reason). It was clear that there is no direct or written procedure for "counseling" owners who are surrendering an animal, so I'm guessing the person at the front desk can chose to counsel an owner if he/she wants. Owners are not directly told that the animal will have little chance for making it out of the shelter and into a home, but it does list in the fine print of the form the owner fills out that the animal could be euthanized.

I have also been thinking of how to request info on what percentage of animals taken in are of a "law enforcement" variety verses "standard shelter" type intake.

she said- I understand your question, and I believe this is outlined for the most part in the 2009 Animal Control Report. I asked CHACO what the "city in" figure meant and she said that was for animals that came in from the X Animal Control Officer (who apparently isn't affiliated with AC/shelter and works directly for the town of X) or its from animals being dropped off by public officials who are on duty such as police officiers. It sounded like the Commissioners are making them keep better bookkeeping on where the animals are coming from, why they are being euthanized, etc.


What was her response to the questions about animals "born in" the shelter?

CHACO said- that they don't have a vet on staff so if an animal comes in pregnant, then there is no way for the shelter to abort the pregnacy so they end up isolating the mother to let her birth her puppies/kittens. This was the first instance that I've heard of where a shelter doesn't have any way to abort a pregnacy. I hate to be insensitive, but it would probably cost the county less to abort the pregnacy then allow the mother to have the babies, have to care for the babies, and then the babies meet an almost certain death via euthanasia.


What was the answer to the # to reach their "at-capacity" and runs being used for storage?

Neither CHACO or assistant had any idea what the capacity of the shelter was...

they only said - that they had 30 runs. She did admit to the "Whelping kennel" being used for storage and the outside runs being used for storage or not being used at all. She said that most people who go to the shelter and see a section of the shelter blocked off think that part of the shelter isn't being used when in fact, that part of the shelter is used for the "expecting or birthing mothers area".

How did she respond when asked if she wanted a relationship with the Humane Society?

This was one of the only questions that I didn't get to ask because X Commissioner cut the meeting off right before I got to that question. From what I could gather, CHACO has had problems with HS in the past but was open to working with HS in the future, so I would say she's willing.


I think that there were really great steps forward in the meeting to have a relationship and open disclosure that is long overdue. Let's try to keep the momentum moving forward!!!