DEAR PROBE

Q

I have called several times since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and the guys over at the (Calexico) animal control keep telling me they are not picking up stray animals unless they are severely injured (close to put down) or have bitten someone.

The reason given to me is COVID-19. Give me a break.

Why are all the other cities and police departments doing their jobs, but yet the Calexico police chief asked for $75,000 in a special council meeting for a new animal control truck? My question is, when are they going to start picking up stray animals darting in and out of traffic and going after runners and bicycles? Is it sometime in 2020, or are they waiting until

2021? Because the virus isn’t going away anytime soon.

We in Calexico have another pandemic waiting for us with lazy city employees plus all the irresponsible pet owners. — Dog Tired, Calexico

A

Calexico City Manager David Dale said the animal control officers are still responding to calls, but are not picking up the wild stray dogs that come over from Mexicali on a daily basis.

Calexico’s animal control found food and water set out by unknown people along the fence line that drew the stray dogs over.

“We do respond to calls for service, and at the same time tend to the animals at the animal control facility,” Dale said. “The local shelters that we work with, along with the out-ofcounty shelters are not accepting any animals right now.”

The department’s existing animal control truck is in poor condition and cannot make the trip to San Diego or Riverside counties to take strays for adoptions as the city did in our past. “Because of COVID-19 we had to make some changes, and will try to go back to full services as soon as we can,” Dale said.