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Ordinance to help reunite pets, owners
By SUZETTE PORTER
Article published on Wednesday, June 7, 2006 |
CLEARWATER - One of the lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina is that pets and owners can become separated after a major disaster, and it is not an easy process to get them together again.
Pinellas County Animal Services is working on a new animal control ordinance to help people and animals that are displaced and involuntarily separated after a major disaster.
"We want to improve our ability to help people find their pets," said Kenny Mitchell, Animal Services director. "We want to be more compassionate of people's needs to get their pets back."
The Board of County Commissioners approved at its June 6 meeting the scheduling of a public hearing on June 20 at 6:30 p.m. to hear comments about the new ordinance.
Mitchell said No. 1 in importance was requirements for improved record keeping. He said the ordinance would require nonprofit organizations that rescue animals to maintain the same records that the county does. He said the records would include who turned in an animal, when, where the animal was found and where it went for adoption. The records would be public and sent to Animal Services.
"We'll require that the registry be accurate," he said.
The ordinance also changes length of time a pet will be held after its turned over to Animal Services. Mitchell said the number of days would increase from 5 days to 10 days on a regular basis. After a major disaster, the time would increase to 30 days.
As the director of disaster animal recovery, Mitchell would decide when to impose the increased time, dependent on the circumstances.
People adopting animals after a disaster would do so with the agreement that for six months, the original owner could claim the animal. Mitchell had pushed for one year, but after discussion with other animal groups, including the SPCA, had agreed to six months.
Mitchell said the agreement would only apply to owners who had not signed their rights away. People who sign away their right would not be able to get their pets back, he said.
Mitchell said after Katrina 250 animals had been brought into the county, mostly by nonprofit organizations, such as the Humane Society of Pinellas.
Mitchell said the new ordinance was in response to the tragic situations of owners not being able to locate their pets after Hurricane Katrina and ongoing litigation by some to get their animals back after they had been adopted out.
Two dogs in the Tampa Bay area were adopted by new owners who do not want to return their dogs to the families who lost them during Katrina.
"It's a tragic process," Mitchell said.
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Article published on Wednesday, June 7, 2006
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