Posted: 7/27/2008 6:44:22 AM EDT
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This one is directed more to the Graveyard Crew: Do you have Animal Control on 24 hrs/day for your Dept?? If not, what is your protocol for dealing with the animal control/barking/loose dogs when they are off?? They work 0700-1700 at the latest. We also can't seem to keep animal control people employed for very long so we often get stuck with the task day or night. Dog poop in a Crown Vic sucks. Usually it's someone who has caught a stray dog at 0300 hours and wants it taken to the pound RIGHT NOW. Who catches stray dogs at 0300 hours you ask?? More people than you think. Day shift tends to make a stink when you flush the call and tell the RP to call back after 0700 when Animal Control comes on. How do you play dogcatcher in your neck of the woods? [Before anyone says it: YES I know it's part of my job(at times), YES I like my job, and NO I won't quit over this, Sorry Nationwide.] |
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Our department is probably different from bigger cities in the following way: we have two animal control officers. Both are full time, trained, certified police officers, who are tasked with additional duty as ACO's. One works day shift (when most of our animal calls are dealt with, as they often are not criminal events necessitating waking citizens at 3am from their sleep). The other one works a standard swinging shift like the rest of us. Both are on call during their off time. Both are willing to come out, but have set up pretty simple rules for us regarding call-outs: If the animal is loose, with collar/tags, but is not harming anyone, they'll set a trap in the morning If the animal is chasing people, has bitten anyone or another animal, they'll come out immediately to deal with the animal (including killing it if necessary) If the complaint is regarding stray cats, they'll set a trap in the area during their standard patrols If the complaint is regarding wild animals (skunks, possum, deer, raccoons), they won't come out or take any action unless the animal is inside living quarters or a business. If the complaint is regarding possible rabid animals, they'll provide assistance by phone and possibly respond depending on the circumstances. They released me to shoot an animal one time, without having to call them out. Basically, I try very hard not to call them out unless definitely needed. Last week, I took a complaint from a citizen that a dog had got loose and chased him down the street. When I went to the house to talk to the owner (530 am), the dog chased me! I called him out  Hope this helps |
| I used to live further out in the county and the only time I ever called for animal control they really shocked me: A pit bull showed up and started killing cats, went through about a half dozen and was still hanging around. Our only neighbors had two very small kids who are let off by the bus and walk down past our place to go home. So I call AC so this mutt doesn't think the kids are the next course. AC responded by saying they will not come out unless the dog actually attacks a person. "So you want me to wait until after the pit bull mauls my neighbors kids before calling back?" I told them thanks a lot and I will take care of the problem myself. |