Animals dumped across lines; Officer's layoff adds to burden elsewhere.Byline: M. Elizabeth Roman FITCHBURG - Jane P. Sambinto said she didn't know what to do when she found a friendly beagle beagle, breed of dog beagle, breed of small, compact hound developed over centuries in England and introduced into the United States in the 1870s. It stands between 10 and 15 in. (25.4–38.1 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 20 and 40 lb (9. wondering around her Warren Street neighborhood on July 4. The city's animal control officer had been laid off four days earlier because of budget cuts, leaving Ms. Sambinto, and the beagle, in the lurch lurch 1 intr.v. lurched, lurch·ing, lurch·es 1. To stagger. See Synonyms at blunder. 2. To roll or pitch suddenly or erratically: The ship lurched in the storm. . So she did what many residents have been doing for the past three weeks: She called neighboring neigh·bor n. 1. One who lives near or next to another. 2. A person, place, or thing adjacent to or located near another. 3. A fellow human. 4. Used as a form of familiar address. v. municipalities for help. "There was no one to coordinate the effort. I didn't want anyone to put him to sleep," she said about her call to Leominster animal control. "I just needed advice." Ashby, Ashburnham and Leominster animal control officers have been flooded with calls from Fitchburg residents with animal complaints since the loss of the city's dog officer. They also point to an increase in animal dumping just across jurisdiction lines as a sign that Fitchburg residents don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. where to turn. The municipalities attend to animals dumped in their communities, but do not respond to calls for assistance from Fitchburg residents. Ms. Sambinto said she didn't feel comfortable contacting the Fitchburg police about the beagle she named Harry - as in Houdini. "They have bigger fish to fry," she said. "It is just crazy there is no dog officer in a city of over 40,000 people." Mary Letourneau, animal enforcement agent for Ashby, said this month she received dozens of calls from Fitchburg residents wanting her to handle their animal issues. "The city has got to rectify rec·ti·fy v. 1. To set right; correct. 2. To refine or purify, especially by distillation. the situation quickly before the rest of us get burnt out," Ms. Letourneau said. She added that the Ashburnham animal control officer, Maggie Bennett, has also lamented la·ment·ed adj. Mourned for: our late lamented president. la·ment  ed·ly adv. the
increase in Fitchburg-related animal issues.
The connecting roads between the municipalities have become a dumping site for stray animals, she said. "In the morning the dogs are there," Ms. Letourneau said. "It's a felony to abandon an animal like that." The animal officer's position was one of dozens cut in order to balance Fitchburg's books for fiscal 2008. Mayor Dan H. Mylott said the job is now shared among the Police, Public Health and Public Works departments Many governments worldwide have had departments or ministries referred to as the Public Works Department either formally or informally. In Australia: - New South Wales -
However, Director of Public Health Jeffrey P. Jerszyk said yesterday he has not been approached about his new role in dealing with the city's 1,400 registered dogs and other animals. "I have no manpower; I have no money," Mr. Jerszyk, said. He added that the increasing workload with minimal financial support influenced his decision to retire in January after 32 years on the job. Mr. Jerszyk's department ran the animal control division until five years ago. Acting Police Chief Phillip J. Kearns Jr. said lack of manpower means his officers can only assist with complaints about dangerous dogs. Carol Stacey, owner of Stacey's Kennels, had an agreement with the city to take in strays, hold them for 10 days and spay spay v. To surgically remove the ovaries of an animal. spay, spey to remove the ovaries. See also ovariohysterectomy. spay hook see spay hook. or neuter neu·ter adj. 1. Having undeveloped or imperfectly developed sexual organs. 2. Sexually undeveloped. n. A castrated animal. v. To castrate or spay. neuter 1. them if they were unclaimed. She took in about 160 animals last year. The animal control officer then would coordinate adoption for most of the animals, she said. But now Ms. Stacey said she has to turn away animals like Harry, the lost beagle. "The money's not there. And I can't take them in on my own. I can't afford to feed them," she said. When someone calls about a lost or found animal all she can do is take down the name and information and direct the person to the Police Department. "A dog got ran over by a car recently. Police went to investigate but when they saw it was alive and limping around they left it sitting in the shade," Ms. Stacey said. "They were not going to push their luck trying to handle an injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. animal." Ken Frazer, a Westfield animal control officer and vice president of the Animal Control Officers' Association of Massachusetts, said managing a city's animals requires special training in cat-tong usage and snake retrieval and certification to administer tranquilizer darts A tranquilizer dart is a dart-like projectile containing a sedative which is injected into the target as if through a needle or syringe when the dart strikes the target. Tranquilizer darts are fired from a capture gun or a crossbow at wild animals in order to sedate them for the . Cat tongs tongs long-handled, about 3 feet, shaped like pincers with knobs on the ends of the grasping blades. Applied by standing behind the subject in a confined space and closing the jaws to grasp the animal's head just below the ears. are devices used to capture and restrain wild or difficult cats and other small animals. "Communities are cutting their nose to spite their face," Mr. Frazer said. Ms. Sambinto said she has put up posters searching for the family of Harry, the lost beagle. "He's a lovely little dog," she said. "I'm fostering it until someone comes forward." |
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