Ridley signs deal with vet to house stray dogs
RIDLEY TOWNSHIP >> The Ridley Township Commissioners took decisive action at their recent meeting to take care of the problem of stray – or lost –dogs by announcing an open-ended contract with Glenolden Animal Hospital to accept stray dogs at its facility at a cost of $300 per day. The animals will be kept two or three days before they are taken to a shelter if not claimed by owners.
“Rob Nester is the animal control officer, but he cannot be called directly by anyone (concerning a stray dog),” said township Manager Ed Pisani. “A person finding a stray has to call 911.”
The township action fell in line with a comment by Folsom resident Lorraine McDade, speaking at the meeting’s public comment before the regular order of business. McDade, who said she is an animal rescue volunteer, asked the commissioners what the township was doing to address the stray animal problem.
Pisani told McDade that stray dogs picked up by police officers responding to 911 animal call fared pretty well. Police Capt. Scott Willoughby explained that stray dogs were taken to an area behind the police station where two covered cages with dog houses, food and water were waiting to house the dogs in hopes that they would be temporary guests until their owners showed up to claim them.
“Usually within a day or two owners will claim the animal,” Willoughby said, adding that the department uses social media to spread the word about lost dogs.
Pisani said the police department has two chip scanners used to check a stray dog to determine if it has a microchip. And Willoughby noted that there are township employees who walked the dogs during their stay.
“And if it was too hot (or cold) outside, the dogs would be brought inside to a large room in the juvenile holding area,” Willoughby added.
Pisani said the animal control contract does not include picking up stray cats.
“We take pretty good care of our animals,” Pisani commented.
McDade also spoke of the need for sidewalks along Morton Avenue, which is a heavily traveled highway used by students walking to Ridley High School.
“Cross walks are ignored,” she said. “Two students in the cross walk were almost knocked down by a big SUV. It is extremely unsafe. The speed limit is too high. On Halloween the kids don’t even come to our houses anymore. It is too dangerous.”
Commissioners President Bob Willert said the board will look into the situation. He noted Morton Avenue is a state highway.