Tuesday, April 11, 2007 • Board receptive to Spencer’s animal control program

Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, April 11 edition of the Lassen County Times.

Eileen Spencer’s proposal for a new animal control program with a month of free or reduced dog license fees got a warm reception from the Lassen County Board of Supervisors.

Spencer presented her proposal at the board’s Tuesday, March 28 meeting, suggesting “there is an ongoing need” to deal with animal control issues in Lassen County and Susanville, its only incorporated city.

She said county and city officials took a first step with a recent meeting to ensure everyone has a similar understanding of rabies procedures when dogs bite people or other animals.

Staff from Lassen County Public Health, Environmental Health, Public Works, the Sheriff’s Department and the Susanville Police Department met on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

Banner Lassen Medical Center CEO Michelle Joy also attended along with Emergency Room Administrator Teena Carver. Dr. Paul Holmes of Northeastern Rural Health.

Spencer said that meeting was a big help.

“Dog bites simply weren’t even being reported,” she said. “You don’t have to get rabies to get really sick from a dog bite.”

Still, Spencer complained about packs of dogs running through Susanville. She said in a pack dogs become aggressive and their whole demeanor changes.

“Dogs shouldn’t be out harassing the citizens of this county,” she said.

“The next step is to get the public involved,” Spencer said, suggesting four steps the board may take.

She asked the board to declare one month this year to waive or reduce dog license fees in an attempt to register all of the dogs in the county, or as many as possible.

“The data collected on vaccinations alone will make this worthwhile,” Spencer wrote in a letter she delivered to the board at the meeting.

The second step she proposed was to have the county notify the public that dog license fees will be doubled for any loose dog picked up that is not licensed or doesn’t have current vaccination records.

She also suggested the county hire former Susanville Animal Control Officer Donna Hastie as a second county animal control officer, increasing the coverage of animal control. Spencer pointed out the brand-new animal shelter is currently understaffed.

“Enforcement of the laws governing dogs is nearly an impossible task with one county animal control officer,” she wrote.

Spencer suggested the city might be willing to subsidize the cost of hiring a second county animal control officer. She also said Kan We Help, a government watchdog organization of which she is ostensibly a member, has money, time and volunteers to contribute.

She said KWH was not asking the county to provide any funds because the organization has “sufficient funds to carry out this program this year,” she said. “We have funds to make this happen.”

“The city of Susanville receives portions of the dog fees collected but presently contributes nothing to the collection of the fees,” she wrote.

Her final suggestion was to have the county put up a booth at the Fair in July as a combined effort of the Lassen County Humane Society, the county animal shelter and other volunteers to increase awareness.

The program would benefit the entire community and “make the citizens responsible for the welfare, not only of their dogs, but for their community,” Spencer wrote.

Supervisor Jim Chapman thanked Spencer for bringing the issue forward, adding the board could not discuss the issue on March 28 because it was not on the agenda.

He asked County Administrative Officer John Ketelsen to work with the public works department, which currently handles the county animal control program, to get the issue placed on board’s April 11 or April 18 agenda.

Chapman suggested inviting all interested parties to the Board Room at 707 Nevada St. to have a serious discussion. He also said he liked the idea of the fair booth.

Chairman Bob Pyle also commended Spencer and said it was a good letter with good ideas.