09052013 - News Article - Sheriff: Animal Shelter may reach critical mass with Portage animals

Sheriff: Animal Shelter may reach critical mass with Portage animals
Chesterton Tribune
September 05, 2013
http://chestertontribune.com/Porter%20County/sheriff_animal_shelter_may_reach.htm

Sheriff David Lain expressed personal concerns this week about the effects of the offloading of stray cats and dogs by the City of Portage’s Animal Control at the Porter County Animal Shelter on his own department, as well as the Shelter itself.

Lain said that the County’s Animal Control officers have been told on several occasions recently by Shelter staff they would have to hold an animal until space opened up at the cramped facility on Ind. 2 south of Valparaiso. The officers have had to wait for an hour or more at times before being able to unload the animals from their trucks, Lain said.

Meanwhile, Portage officials received a letter on Aug. 6, 2013, from Humane Society of Hobart saying the "temporary agreement" to house animals from Portage Animal Control "cannot go on indefinitely" as it poses a safety issue for the animals and Humane Society employees

.

Carol Konopacki, director of Humane Society of Hobart, said in the letter that the arrangement "has been too many years, too long," and she will consider charging the city extra fees starting in January unless Portage officials find another location to drop off their animals. She suggested that Portage build its own facility, as was discussed years ago when the agreement was made.