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HomeMy WebLinkAboutreporter.feb07 (2)© City of Georgetown, 2006 VOL. 5 • NO. 2 A Publication of the City of Georgetown February 2007 second time it is impounded at the shelter. When an unaltered animal is impounded a second time, it will be released only after the owner pres- ents proof that they have paid a local veterinarian to have the animal spayed or neutered. The impound fee will be refunded only after proof of sterilization is presented to the shelter. The goal of the rule is to reduce the number of kittens or puppies that result from roaming animals. According to the Texas Department of State Health Services zoonosis program, one female cat and her offspring can potentially produce as many as 420,000 cats over a seven year span of time. Permit fees for breeders and pet stores An additional rule change requires individuals to obtain an annual breeder’s permit in order to sell or give away animals. The permit has a $35 fee which reflects the increased impact on the shelter from animals that are allowed to reproduce. For a similar reason, an annual fee for stores selling pets has been increased from $30 to $250. “We’d like to think that all the ani- mals adopted from private breeders or pet stores will have good homes for life,” says Finn. “Unfortunately that is not the case, and we do see animals coming to the shelter that Animal Ordinance Changes Where Dreams Die Hard,by Carlton Stowers, is the book that has been chosen for Georgetown Reads! 2007, the Georgetown Public Library’s one-book, one-community program. It is the true account of the 2004 season of the six-man football team from Penelope, Texas, a rural community southeast of Dallas with a population of 212. The story that emerges is not just about a high school football team, it’s about the significance of the team to the tiny community and to the individual players. On February 6, author Carlton Stowers will talk about his book and take questions in a public event at the library. The free event begins at 7 p.m. For details about Georgetown Reads!, including events in March and April, see the library website at www.georgetowntex.org. COME SEE the new library at 402 W.Eighth Street! Opening January 20. The tiny microchips are the size of a piece of rice, but they might make a big difference over time for cats and dogs in Georgetown. With a new requirement to implant a microchip in all animals impound- ed at or adopted from the City’s Animal Shelter, employees will be able to track animals with a unique identification number that acts like a fingerprint. Each microchip is inserted into the skin in the scruff of the neck of a cat or dog via a pre-loaded syringe, according to Ken Finn, animal serv- ices manager for Georgetown. The chip contains an identification num- ber that can be read by a scanner, allowing shelter staff to look up the number on a database to determine the owner. Microchips are just one change in a recent animal ordinance update that includes several measures to encour- age responsible pet ownership. The new rules also aim to reduce the number of homeless animals in the community. They went into effect on December 27, following final approval by the City Council on December 12. Spay or neuter on second impound Another change will mandate that an animal be spayed or neutered the were adopted from breeders or pet stores. The fees recognize the impact from breeders and pet stores on the cost to operate the shelter.” No roadside sales or giveaways One more change to the animal ordinance prohibits roadside give- aways or roadside sales of animals. Finn says that the ban on roadside sales can reduce the number of animals adopted on a whim that later end up at the shelter after an owner reconsiders. The ban also seeks to reduce problems with unhealthy animals offered at a road- side sale where “there’s little quality control, and it’s very common to get a sick animal,” says Finn. Other cities in Central Texas such as Austin, Cedar Park, and Round Rock have banned the roadside sales of animals. The changes to the animal ordi- nance have the ultimate aim of encouraging responsible pet owner- ship and reducing the number of cats and dogs that go to the shelter. The new rules were initially pro- posed by volunteers with Georgetown Animal Outreach, a local animal rescue group, and were approved by shelter staff and the Animal Shelter Advisory Board before approval by the City Council. For details, contact the Georgetown Animal Shelter at (512) 930-3595. Georgetown Reads! 2007 Author Carlton Stowers on Feb. 6