Citizens address stray animal crisis

Leaders of a group concerned about a stray animal crisis in Ruston and Lincoln Parish say they are guardedly hopeful the issue will get some official attention after talking Saturday with Mayor Ronny Walker and three members of the Lincoln Parish Police Jury.

“I’m cautiously optimistic. At least this time I feel heard,” Liz Adams said.

Adams was among about 45 parish residents gathered at the Lincoln Parish Library who spent two hours discussing animal control issues with Walker, District 3 Police Juror Dan Lord, District 4 Juror TJ Cranford, and District 5 Juror Logan Hunt.

The four elected officials pledged the city and parish would work together on the issue, but repeatedly told meeting-goers solutions take time and money.

“We are open to anything we can do to better the situation in the parish and in the city,” Walker said.

By the end of the session, Walker had a list of proposals from the group, including a plan to study spaying and neutering animals before they’re adopted from the city’s animal shelter, exploring with the parish and 4 Paws Rescue a joint fundraiser with proceeds going toward retaining a veterinarian to staff the animal shelter on a part- time basis for spay-neuters, a donation checkoff on property tax bills to garner money specifically for animal control programs, and revising the city’s animal ordinances to more clearly define animal ownership.

Meeting organizer Lauren DeFreese said the session went better than she expected. She said advocates wanted Walker to understand the stray animal issue is a community problem.

“Some good things are happening, but more things need to be done,” De-Freese said.

She said too many times she and others have found animals abandoned at dump sites, left in plastic bags or boxes, or left in the street.

Attendees praised the parish’s hiring an animal control officer but said one person isn’t enough. They also like the police jury’s dedicating $25,000 to a spay-neuter pilot program aimed at combating animal overpopulation and complimented Ruston’s new $3.8 million animal shelter.

DeFreese, a volunteer with the private 4 Paws Rescue, said the city should follow 4 Paws’ lead and spay or neuter each animal adopted from the city shelter.

“Most of the animals leave unaltered, which is contributing to the problem,” DeFreese said.

She cited a scenario in which 40 dogs and 10 cats adopted from the shelter could produce 120 puppies and 75 kittens within a year if the shelter doesn’t spay or neuter the animals before they’re adopted.

Walker said the city’s animal control facility on McAllister Street has space for a veterinary clinic but because of finances doesn’t have a veterinarian either on staff or on contract.

Both Walker and the three jurors, who represent the parish’s largest geographic districts, told attendees the city and parish have a newfound working relationship, and that both bodies are interested in helping.

“Everybody’s getting riled up, what I’m saying is we’re open (to talking about solutions),” Lord said.

“The city and the police jury are working hand-in-hand to deal with the animal control situation in the entire parish,” Walker said.

Several residents said they’ve rescued injured, stray, or malnourished animals only to be told by animal control staff that the rescuer was financially responsible for any care the animal might need.

“If you expect individuals to bear the expense of animal rescue — you know we’re paying taxes — I’d like to see some solutions,” Judith Howard said.

Some residents said they’ve repeatedly called the city’s after-hours emergency telephone number, and no one answers.

“In the last year, I’ve spent over $1,000 on stray animals because nobody’s picked up the phone,” said Adams.

Walker said only one worker mans the line, and during a power outage or other emergency, he’s attempting to field calls from the public, as well as make calls to bring repair crews in.

DeFreese said she plans to follow up with officials in several weeks to see what progress they’ve made.