Walker County Animal Shelter Q&A with Joe Legge
At the June 9 Walker County Board of Commissioners meeting, several questions from residents came up regarding how the county’s animal shelter works. Other questions from local residents have arisen on callin programs and elsewhere.
We asked the county’s public relations director, Joe Legge, to share some information with us regarding these questions.
Why doesn’t the shelter allow volunteers?
Legge says it’s a liability issue. “If someone gets bit or injured in some other way, we have a problem on our hands.”
Why does it cost so much to reclaim your animal if it gets
lost and ends up in the shelter?
The cost to reclaim a dog or cat that’s spayed or neutered is $25. If the animal is not spayed or neutered and the owner agrees to have it done through the shelter, the reclaim cost is $80, which includes the surgery. If the animal is not altered and the owner refuses to have it spayed or neutered, the reclaim cost is $150. Legge says the charges offset costs the shelter incurs or is likely to incur due to animals running loose and being unaltered.
Why can’t people come to the shelter any time it’s open and look at animals?
Legge says the shelter prefers that people look at animals online and make an appointment to meet them but, he says, if time and staffing allow it, people can show up at the shelter and meet available animals during regular hours.
How does the shelter go about networking with other rescues and adoption agencies to send animals to places they’re more likely to find homes?
Legge says the shelter has its own transport vehicle and often makes the drives to out-of-state agencies themselves. Sometimes, he says, other agencies share transport efforts.
Why is intake so often by appointment only?
Legge says that at the moment it’s because the shelter is dealing with an outbreak of kennel cough.
Sometimes, he says, it’s because the shelter is full and has no room for more animals.