Agenda - Council - 03/25/1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I i i I I I I )~ro~(,~) t¢~ th~, City of Ramsey, 8/85 - P^C,,E 2 N E E D Animal related probJems do exist in the City of Ramsey. The humane society office receives calls on a regular basis from residents of the City who have unwanted animals, are reporting stray animals, have lost a pet, or are reporting cases of poss- ible abuse to an animal. At the present time, most of these calls are referred to either the Hennepin County Humane Society, the Ramsey County Humane Society, or the Ramsey Police Department. In addition to calls we refer, each of these agencies receive other calls, combining to make a sizeable and increasingly difficult problem. There is only one animal control agent now active in Anoka Coun- ty to any great extent. Should this agent, for whatever reason, cease to operate, there would be no external mechanism available to cities for animal control contract management, leaving the various law enforcement agencies to deal directly with stray and abandoned animals. SERVICES AND CAPACITIES OF THE PROPOSED FACILITY The proposed shelter facility is a 9,200 square foot structure, combining animal receiving, holding, examination, adoption and euthanization areas with attached but separate administration and public meeting areas. It is designed to care for approxi- mately 13,000 animals per year, with a maximum daily capacity of 146 miscellaneous animals; primarily dogs and cats. The ex- pected adoption ratio is 25%, meaning that nearly 10,000 animals would be euthanized annually. The method of euthanization will be injection, universally accepted as the most humane of various methods now in use. Euthanized animals will be taken from the site for disposal. The humane society will operate an expanded investigations div- ision, utilizing State-licensed investigators who will respond to complaints of abuse to animals and work cooperatively with local law enforcement agencies in resolution of the complaints. Rabies vaccination clinics will be offered through the facility, administered by cooperating veterinarians who will issue approp- riate certificates and tags. Shelter personnel will assist in the identification, recovery and observation of animals that have bitten people and where rabies is a potential hazard. The shelter will provide a centralized, county-wide "lost and found" service, greatly increasing the odds of lost pets being recovered by their owners. A shelter will provide the Society with the capability of animal control contract management, which it otherwise will not have.