TRUMBULL COUNTY Crowded shelters house animals only short time

Overcrowding in animal shelters is a constant problem.
By NICOLE HUGHES
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HOWLAND -- Trumbull County's dog pound and the Animal Welfare League can hold animals only a short time for adoption, because of waiting lists and stray animals constantly coming in.
"We are in the middle of cat and kitten season right now, and puppy season starts in July," said Debbie Serbati, director of Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County. "The animals come in waves, and right now we have an abundance."
After a mandatory waiting period, the unadopted animals are euthanized, and others are put down because of illness or bad temperament.
Many killed
"We put down 1,000 dogs a year, plus or minus, depending on the breeding season," said Robert Campana, chief dog warden at the Trumbull County Kennel, 7501 Anderson Ave. "When we first started, we were putting down 3,000, but people are showing a little more responsibility in Trumbull County."
There is usually a 5 percent to 6 percent adoption rate, Campana said.
"There still are many strays running around, and we are getting calls constantly," he said. "We usually get 15-25 calls a day, and even on rainy days we get 7-10 calls."
Operating under state law, officials determine if a dog has a license when it comes in off the street, Campana said.
"If a dog has a license, then by law, we hold it for 14 days and make every last-ditch effort to find the owner," Campana said. "If for some reason the number on file has been disconnected, we send a driver out. We have even left notes on people's doors, and are usually quite successful."
Waiting period
If a dog comes in without a license, there is a 72-hour holding period, and they try to find someone to adopt the dog, he said.
"If a person wants to adopt a dog, we have them sign a form saying they will take them to the vet to get checked out," Campana said. "They also have to purchase a license that costs $12."
Puppies are $5, and adult dogs are $10, even for a purebred, he said.
"We stress that a person take the dog to the vet, because we won't run up a vet bill," Campana said. "Dogs may need a checkup and vaccinations."
Overcrowded
The Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County shelter at 545 Brunstetter Road, Lordstown, can house anywhere from 95 to 130 animals -- and that is overcrowded, said Serbati.
"We don't put animals down [just] because we have too many," she said. "It depends on the age, temperament and health of the animal."
"Anything that is adoptable we keep for at least 21 days," Serbati said. "If they are not adoptable, we euthanize them earlier -- but it is not cut and dried."
When the shelter is full, people are put on a waiting list for bringing in animals.
"There are 500 people on the waiting list right now," Serbati said. "People call if they need to place a pet, and we take the information and call them when there is room."
Advertising
Every other week the shelter shows animals on WFMJ TV-21 news, every week in a newspaper and online at www.petfinder.com to encourage people to adopt animals, she said.
"We are not funded by any organizations," Serbati said. "We have fund-raisers and take donations to keep open. That's pretty much how we survive."
People who come in and choose an animal fill out an adoption form and when approved can take their animal home, she said.
Dogs and puppies start at $50 plus the cost of a license. Cats also start at $50.
For more information on how to adopt a pet, call the Trumbull County Kennel at (330) 675-2787 or the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County at (330) 394-4122.
nhughes@vindy.com