No Fayette SPCA: Police patrol pooches
The state Department of Agriculture offered some guidelines about how Fayette County is to handle stray dogs and animal cruelty cases.
DOA Spokeswoman Samantha Krepps said the state Dog Warden, police or an animal control officer can pick up stray dogs and transport them to a licensed kennel approved by the state Secretary of Agriculture.
Krepps said animal cruelty calls should be referred to state or local police. She said a humane society police officer from the Westmoreland County Humane Society has been sworn in to handle animal cruelty cases in Fayette County.
The dog warden will be able to respond regarding stray dogs to calls from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The dog warden, Bruce Minick, can be reached at 724-887-3780. After hours, the public should contact their local or state police for assistance, Krepps said.
In the aftermath of Fayette Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the state’s Dog Law Enforcement Office has provided a list of contacts for shelters and animal control organizations willing to help out with stray dogs. A list of approved kennels can be found at licenseyourdog.com.
Krepps cited state law as to what happens to licensed dogs if they are placed in detention at a kennel by police or other authorized agents.
According to the law, “…The owner or claimant of a dog so detained shall pay a penalty of $50 to the political subdivision whose police officers make the seizures and detention and all reasonable expenses incurred by reason of its detention to the detaining parties before the dog is returned. If five days after obtaining the postal return receipt, the dog has not been claimed, such chief of police, or his agent, or a constable, or state dog warden or employee of the department shall dispense the dog by sale or by giving it to a humane society or association for the prevention of cruelty to animals…”
As to unlicensed dogs that are seized and/or placed in detention, “… Any police officer, state dog warden, employee of the department or animal control officer shall cause any unlicensed dog to be seized, detained, kept and fed for a period of 48 hours at any licensed kennel approved by the secretary for those purposes, except any dog seriously ill or injured or forfeited with the owner’s permission. The 48-hour period shall not include days the approved kennel is not open to the general public. Any person may view the detained dogs during normal business hours. Any unlicensed dog remaining unclaimed after 48 hours may be humanely killed or given to a humane society or association for the prevention of cruelty to animals…”