FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 18, 2007

Animal adoption center adds Monday hours

To increase residents’ access to services, the Sarah Lucito Memorial Animal Adoption Center will be open on Monday from noon to 4 p.m., beginning Nov. 5.

“This addition in hours complements the fact that the Animal Health and Public Safety Division provides numerous services to the community to protect people and animals – we truly are living up to our name,” said Lesly Forsberg, manager of this division of the Neighborhood and Community Services Department.

The services now provided by the division include the following:

•Investigations of cruelty and neglect
•Animal bite investigations
•Rabies quarantine
•Inspections for commercial establishments, such as kennels, pets stores, dog day care centers
•Animal display permits for competitions
•Pet licensing
•Humane education and outreach activities.

The Animal Health and Public Safety Division employees handle 700-800 calls for stray dogs every month and respond to 40 to 50 animal bite calls every month.

“There are many pets in our adoption center that will make very loving pets, and one in four of those animals is purebred. People who want to add a new animal member to their family have a wide variety to choose from when they come to the adoption center and they also have an opportunity to give an animal a second chance,” Forsberg said.

The center also is open from noon to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. On Thursday the shelter has extended evening hours, from noon to 8 p.m.

For more information about services provided by the Animal Health and Public Safety Division of the Neighborhood and Community Services Department, call the 3-1-1 Action Center, (816) 513-1313 or 311.

Media inquiries about the Neighborhood and Community Services Department should be directed to Teresa L. Clark, public information officer, (816) 513-3247.