Addressing Animal Anxieties

After the incidents of bitter cold temperatures the last couple weeks, I feel compelled to talk in this blog to animal owners and citizens concerned about the welfare of animals. As you know, we are in a sorry situation due to a breakdown in communication between the Clay County Humane Society Shelter and the City of Brazil.

As someone in an administrative position, I understand the stress the city is under with no money to pay. I also understand the shelter's position that it needs money to operate. Unfortunately, the city cannot give the Humane Shelter money that it does not have. The Humane Shelter refuses to take the money offered and so where does that leave us?

As the Chief of Police, it is up to me to figure out how to handle the stray and animal neglect calls that come into the department by you, the concerned citizens. I guess the best way to get into this is for me to just share a little information with you the citizens about how these calls are handled. After all, knowledge is power, right?

OK, when the police department receives a call of a stray dog, an officer goes out to locate and check on the stray. If the officer finds that the animal has broken off its chain or has a collar with a tag, the officer attempts to locate where the dog came from and contact the animal's owner to take possession of his/her animal.

If this is an ongoing problem, a citation is written to the dog's owners.

If the dog's owners cannot be located or if the dog is a true stray, a facility such as the Humane Shelter or an animal rescue is contacted to pick the animal up.

If the facilities contacted refuse to help, other facilities are called and asked to assist. Police officers have even called local veterinarians at home to ask for assistance in the past.

Although the police are understaffed from time to time, the officers will remain at the location or in the general area until the call is resolved unless they are called away for more pressing matters. If this should occur, the officer will return as soon as they have completed the call they were sent to or is contacted by the agent from the responding facility advising the animal has been secured.

If the call is a dog chained up out in the cold without food, water or adequate shelter, the police department sends an officer to check on the welfare of the animal in question.

Upon the officer's arrival, they check for the signs that food and or water either is, or has been recently supplied to the animal.

If they find that these needs are met, the officer speaks with the animal's owners, advises them of the concerns and asks the animal's owner to take extra care through emergency conditions.

If the animal is found to be lacking in any of the necessary needs, the officer speaks with the animal's owners and, depending on the condition of the animal, allows them one opportunity to take care of the animals needs.

The officer then checks back to make sure that animal's needs are taken care of.

If no changes occur, the animal shelter (or rescue facility) is called, the animal is taken and charges of animal neglect are pursued against the owners. If the animal is abandoned, the animal shelter (or rescue facility) is called to take possession of the animal and efforts are made to locate the animals owners and charges animal neglect are filed if they are located.

When officers find animals that have been neglected, we follow every avenue available to assure that the animal's welfare is taken care of as well as protecting our own safety and the safety of our citizens.

Although we do not have facilities to house stray or neglected animals within the city, the Brazil City Police Department will continue to check out every complaint called in and will work diligently to resolve your complaints to the best of our abilities.

Just as you have seen recently with the abandoned and endangered animal left on Depot Street, even though the facility that we normally called refused to help, a second facility was contacted and the animal's welfare was taken care of.

While this particular incident is still under investigation, we hope to resolve these matters and all future matters in a manor that is fitting the communities trust in their city government.

Please know, if you have any questions, you can feel free to call my office Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and I will try to answer them the best I can.

The City of Brazil is working to resolve the present animal control situation and hopes to have satisfactory results soon.

David Archer

Chief of Police

Brazil City Police Department

203 E. National Ave.

Brazil, Ind., 47834.

(812) 446-2211

policechief@brazil.in.gov