Public Works
Animal Control
What is Animal Control?
It is a way to help citizens and animals
live together in harmony.
Animal Control means protecting:
People and Property from the dangers
and nuisance of roaming uncontrolled animals.
Pets and Wild Animals from the dangers they face in the wild and on city
streets.
Animal Control means knowing how to
handle animals -- and how to work with people.
Why should I, as a citizen of Bossier
City, learn about Animal Control?
Because your animal control program
depends on you. Animal Control problems begin with people.
The health and Safety of all animals and people are at
risk when irresponsible pet owners:
Solutions begin with animal control. Your
animal control program can solve these problems with
your help.
Meet the "uncontrolled" animal...
When roaming free, animals may:
- Bite people - a major health and safety problem.
- Spread disease - among themselves and human beings.
- Destroy property - every thing from livestock to
lawns.
- Breed - at an astounding rate, producing more human
and animal suffering.
- Cause traffic accidents - resulting in both human
and animal suffering.
- Die - from accidents, fights, starvation, disease,
exposure, and inhumane treatment.
Uncontrolled animals are an expensive
problem
In addition to the cost from injury
and property damage, thousands of tax dollars are spent
each year to shelter and euthanize (kill without pain)
homeless, unwanted or injured animals.
Animal Control is a big job!
The animal control unit of your police
department operates an animal shelter and adoption programs,
to protect and find homes for unwanted companion animals.
License animals to help identify and aid in the return
of lost companion animals. Enforce ordinances, such as
leash law, cruelty and neglect, laws governing vaccinations
and companion animal welfare. Educate the public, to
make citizens aware of the animal control problems and
ways to solve them. Animal control personnel may also
use their skills to protect and control wild animals.
Animal Control training usually
includes:
Courses in communications, law, animals
and public safety of the citizen as well as the companion
animal, on the job experience, instruction in the animal
control, departments policies and rules. Many ACO s have
previous work experience of education in law enforcement
and or animal handling and behavior.
Advanced training may cover:
Animal first aid and rescue, shelter
management, animal handling, use of chemicals in animal
capture, breed identification, human relations (working
with people), stress management, legal aspect of animal
control-and many other topics.
Animal Control in action:
Cruelty Investigations : Animal Control
personnel enforce laws governing humane treatment of
animals. If necessary, they may remove animals from unsafe
or unhealthy conditions and begin legal action against
negligent owners.
Complaint Investigations : Animal Control
personnel may look into complaints of noisy, destructive
or threatening animals. If necessary, proper legal action
may be taken including citations, fines and impoundments.
Animal Rescue : Animal Control personnel
use their special knowledge and equipment to help find
and rescue lost or trapped animals.
Animal Ambulance : Animal Control personnel
transport injured animals safely and humanely to the
appropriate health care facility when found on city streets
or when taken from a neglect location.
Animal Quarantine: Animals that bite
are located and captured to make certain they are not
carrying any disease.
A few words on some sensitive subjects:
Spaying and neutering: The "EXPLODING" animal
population puts tremendous strain on citizens and animals.
The problem: Millions
of puppies and kittens are born in the U.S. every year,
most of them unwanted. For most unwanted animals good
permanent homes are not available, instead, they end
up in temporary shelters or loose on the streets. Homeless
animals destroy property, spread disease, produce more
animals and face short miserable lives.
The answer : Spaying
or neutering your companion animal.
Euthanasia: Doing what is best
for animals they love and the community they serve forces
animal control personnel to make some hard decisions.
The problem: Animal
shelters can usually offer only temporary shelter for
the millions of unwanted animals. The cost to taxpayers
for the housing of all unwanted animals on a permanent
basis would be enormous. The alternative allowing animals
to live in the wild or on the streets would inevitably
lead to their destruction by starvation, disease and
accidents.
The answer: Animal
Control personnel are working tirelessly to bring the
animal population under control and end the need for
euthanasia. Unfortunately, until they succeed, euthanasia
will remain a tragic necessity.
Myths and misconceptions contribute
to animal population:The "EXPLODING" animal
population puts tremendous strain on citizens and animals.
The problem: Millions
of puppies and kittens are born in the U.S. every year,
most of them unwanted. For most unwanted animals good
permanent homes are not available, instead, they end
up in temporary shelters or loose on the streets. Homeless
animals destroy property, spread disease, produce more
animals and face short miserable lives.
The answer : Spaying
or neutering your companion animal.
Do any of these sound familiar?
"I know I can find good homes for
my pet's litter."
That may be, but remember that the
homes you find mean that many fewer homes are available
to other animals waiting for adoption.
"But spaying and neutering make pets fat and lazy."
This is not true. You are responsible
for seeing that your pet eats right and gets the proper
amount of exercise.
"I just do not think it is right to keep my pet from having a litter."
Spaying and neutering does more than
help solve the problem of animal overpopulation, it actually
protects your pet from many health problems and helps
him or her live longer and happier lives.
"I happen to know that there are shelters that do not euthanize animals."
There are such places, but they accept
only animals they can house or place in homes. Most other
shelters must accept all animals, including the sick,
old and injured. These shelters have vast shortages of
space and resources.
"I want my children to see the miracle of birth."
There is a good chance you will miss
the delivery since animals often give birth in private.
You may use books or films to teach children about the
miracle of birth, without adding to the animal population.
What can you do to help?
Support the efforts of your Animal Control
Department.
Practice Responsible Pet Ownership!
Have your pet spayed or neutered (Bonus:
License fees are lower)
Do not let your pet run free. Keep him or her on a leash.
Report all cases of animal abuse or inhumane treatment.
Have your pet vaccinated and licensed.
Obey all other laws that affect you and your companion animal.
So when animals are under control everyone benefits! Support the work of
your animal control department. Learn about the many services your animal
control department has to offer. Practice responsible pet ownership including
spaying and neutering.
Adoption Fees
| Cats and Kittens |
- cats under four months of age $55.00
- cats over four months of age $60.00
|
| Dogs and Puppies |
- dogs under four months of age $55.00
- dogs over four months of age $60.00
|
| Additional Fees |
- any animal that has been spayed or neutered
$10.00 which pays for a rabies shot voucher.
- all purebred animals $85.00 which pays for
spay or neuter voucher and the extra $25.00 fee
for the veterinarian.
|
Contact Info:
Monday - Friday: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Liz Walker, Superintendent
Candace Owens 
, Office Manager
Bossier City Animal Control
3217 Old Shed Rd
P.O. Box 5337
Bossier City, LA 71171-5337
Phone: 318.741.8499 - Fax: 318.741.8494
