Logan County Animal Control starts new year with new regulations        

Cats to be tagged
Logan County Animal Control starts new year with new regulations

[DEC. 29, 2006]  LINCOLN -- Annual pet registrations in Logan County now includes cats. The county regulation to register cats begins on January 1, 2007. All cats, like dogs, must be registered with the Logan County Animal Control and begin wearing their ID tags this year. Veterinarians will be sending paperwork to the facility when a cat gets its rabies vaccination. The pet owner will then go to animal control to register and get a tag. The registration fee is less if the cat has been spayed or neutered.

When the registration was discussed with the county board there were several members apprehensive about tagging cats, as this would require a collar that might endanger the life of an outdoor cat if its collar got caught on something. It was finally decided that, yes, they need to be tagged so the cat can be identified if caught. New break away collars reduce the associated risks.

Cat registration:
One-year registration - $6.00
If not spayed or neutered - $16.00

Three-year registration - $25.00
If not spayed or neutered - $45.00

Dog Registration:
Same as cat

Adoption fees have also been made simpler, chairman Vickie Hasprey said. It was decided to equalize all the fees to one price, whether male of female, cat or dog.

Adoption - $85.00 (includes spay or neuter if needed, all vaccines other than rabies, micro chipping)

Add registration - as above. (The is no registration fee if adopted to another county)

Add rabies vaccination - $10.00

The new adoption fees when combined with registration and rabies vaccine are still below most other adoption sources that run between $100 and $200, Hasprey said.

Spaying or neutering are required as part of the adoption process in accordance with the facility’s mission, to control animal population. Last year it was experimented to stop the surgeries at the facility in order to cut cost. Vouchers were given to take to the preferred veterinarian for spaying or neutering. However, too many people were not bringing their pet back in the past, Hasprey said. Therefore the spay/neuter program is being reinstituted at the facility and the surgery will be done there before the pet goes to its new home.

One other change is that dogs caught running-at-large on a second offense will have an added charge of $50.00 if it is not spayed or neutered. The spay or neuter will take place at the facility before the dog is released back to the owner.

The basis for the regulation, which is in compliance with new state legislation, is that dogs running loose have more of a tendency toward developing aggression, particularly if they get in a pack, when running loose. Fixing a male dog usually reduces hormone levels that can cause aggression.

“Spaying, neutering and mandatory micro-chipping are the only way the county is going to be able to control the pet population situation,” Colter said.

Several changes have taken place at the Logan County Animal Control in the last year. Help has come in finding pets temporary and permanent homes through two local groups, Pets without Parents and Logan County Humane Society and through PetSmart. The volunteer organizations help with adopting pets out and avoiding euthanasia. .

With these groups assisting with animal placement, animal control can now focus on their primary function, bite control and dogs running-at-large, Colter said.

Their assistance will also help reduce costs to run the facility that are now over $120,000 a year for Logan County, county coordinator Dewey Colter said.

Logan County Animal Control is located on Lincoln’s northeast side at 1515 N. Kickapoo St.

Hours of operation:
10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday
10 a.m.-noon Saturday

[Jan Youngquist]