Tuesday 21 July 2009, P.M.

Incident: # N/A

Sheriff John Evans would like to pass information on to the public regarding the protocols and fees related to animal services in Sierra County. The county has a new agreement with the Town of Truckee regarding animal services, for the kenneling of animals only. The sheriff’s office is the only agency that responds to, and/or handles, domestic animal issues in the county. The public needs to be aware that when requesting assistance with domestic animals, they need to deal directly with the sheriff’s office. Do not call the Town of Truckee Animal Services unless informed to do so by the sheriff’s office first. Public calls need to go through the main dispatch in Downieville at 289-3700, in an emergency you can always call Emergency 9-1-1. Incidents with wild animals are handled through the State Department of Fish and Game at their Sacramento dispatch at (916) 358-1300. However, the sheriff’s office will always respond to any emergency as well.

Please do all you can to prevent your dog from running at large, which is a violation of the Sierra County Code (S.C.C. 8.08.270 (a)). Keeping your animals properly contained to your property is very important and can save you a lot of problems. Friends and neighbors can help each other by keeping an eye out for each others stray dogs, which could prevent them from being picked-up as loose and at large. Dogs are required to be vaccinated against rabies and licensed by the county as well (S.C.C. 8.08.270 (e)). That is a State requirement. To obtain a dog license, please call the County Health Department in the City of Loyalton at 993-6716 and have evidence of the rabies vaccination available, it is simple and inexpensive. They can do it by mail too! In an effort to mitigate problems if your dog gets loose, and eventually almost all do, please… have a collar on your dog with their name and your emergency contact information. It is also highly recommended that you have an identification microchip placed by a veterinarian that holds all the necessary information. The chip process is not expensive and it could be invaluable should your dog slip out of its collar. The sheriff’s office has purchased a chip scanner that can read all chips. You can also have the same done for your cat, or other pet, in case they ever get lost too.

As of right now, the sheriff’s office is in the process of hiring a part-time community and animal services officer to respond to high priority and emergency animal services calls. That position is expected to be filled in a month or so, maybe longer. In the meantime, patrol deputy sheriffs are doing all they can to assist the public with their animal services needs, often when they are the only person on-duty to respond for all emergencies. If your dog is picked-up, call the sheriff’s office for information on how to get them back. Do not call the Town of Truckee, please. If we have kenneled your dog, it will be $185 for the related kenneling fees and possible fine(s) depending on the situation. Parties who refuse to be responsible and retrieve their pet may face charges for animal abandonment (S.C.C. 8.08.270 (i)). Once you contact the sheriff’s office and pay the kenneling fee, you will be given a receipt necessary for redemption. The sheriff’s office will accept cash, cashiers checks and certified checks (money orders), no personal checks. It may be possible to pay by credit cards in the near future through the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office as well. You will also be advised how to retrieve your dog. That process is done as available by appointment only. The sheriff’s office is also in the process of exploring plans to keep identified pets locally short-term. We may have your pet in Loyalton or in Downieville to help to avoid the kenneling fees whenever possible, but we have to be able to identify your pet and be able to get a hold of you! Also, at the request of the sheriff’s office, the county is in the process of considering future exact fees and the adoption of two related local ordinances. First, mandatory identification chip implants during the dog licensing process. Second, an ordinance to prevent the intentional leaving of pet food accessible to wild animals such as bears, skunks, coyotes and raccoons. Doing so attracts possible rabies carrying omnivore animals in our residential areas. This requested ordinance is intended to discourage the interaction and contact between our domesticated pets and wild animals, with the obvious risks of bites to the public and our pets. For more information regarding laws relating to pets and other animals, please see the Sierra County Code, Chapter 8.08 which starts at page 256 and specifically section 8.08.270, subsections (a) through (m) for the most common violations. You can also check the State Penal Code regarding animal cruelty laws mainly in the areas of sections P.C. 597, P.C. 598 and P.C. 599, see the specific subsections for the various violations. You can view both law sections via the Internet by entering the below addresses:

http://www.sierracounty.ws/county_docs/bos/Full%20Code.pdf?&MMN_position=84:84