Q&A: What is the role of animal control?
Published 10:15 pm Thursday, September 27, 2007
Snohomish County’s population boom is leading to a rise in complaints to the county’s animal control department from unincorporated areas such as Maltby, south Lake Stevens and rural Arlington. There are five officers working in the field on weekdays, with more on the way.
A chat with county license manager Vicki Lubrin shows what people can expect from animal control.
When should people call animal control? For dog bites, or dog attacks, or anytime there is an animal, a dog or livestock loose and the owner is unknown, or if an animal presents a public safety or traffic hazard. Anytime there’s an injured, sick or diseased animal.
How quickly should people expect a response? Some calls are answered the same day, depending on the severity of the call.Otherwise, by the next business day depending on the workload and the staffing. A call on Friday will likely be returned Monday at the earliest.
Which calls receive highest attention? The ones where there’s an immediate threat to the public: vicious dogs at large, dog bites, dog attacks on domestic animals or people, livestock in traffic. Anything where there’s an imminent risk to the animal, and some kinds of animal cruelty and neglect.
Which calls receive no attention?Wildlife issues, picking up stray cats or dead cats.
What is the biggest complaint? Barking dogs.
How do you handle those? If there’s a pet license, we mail a letter explaining that there has been a complaint. We need at least one other witness outside the family to substantiate their complaint. Later consequences can include fines.
What’s the most dangerous complaint for officers? When they assist on search warrants, like busts on drug houses, or people with outstanding felony warrants with dogs on the premises.
What’s the easiest complaint to handle? You’d think it would be the leash law. It’s usually not the animals that are the problem. It’s the owners.
What do pet owners do that drives you crazy? Those who are in denial about the behavior of their animal, or unwilling to take responsibility for the actions of their animals.
