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Dusty is back home despite ID mistake Spotsylvania Animal Control Department reunites family with dog after seeing newspaper advertisement, not the pet's microchip or dog tag Date published: 5/30/2009
By DAN TELVOCK Spotsylvania County's Animal Control Department kept a 2-year-old dog in a pen for six days without contacting its owners, even though the pet had tags and a microchip. Lt. Col. Michael Timm acknowledged the error was made and said it has resulted in a new policy that requires staff to scan for microchips even if the pet presents mildly aggressive behavior. Timm said an employee did reunite the 45-pound, brown German shorthair pointer, Dusty, with the owners after the employee read a lost-and-found advertisement in The Free Lance-Star. Timm said it is a policy for shelter employees to read the pet lost-and-found ads in the newspaper. "I think they did a good job in that respect," he said. Erin Grampp, who lives at the 40-acre Hill Valley Farm near the Berkshire subdivision, said Dusty fled a pen early May 23 after Grampp's mother went to walk the dog. According to the animal control report, the dog was picked up a few hours later not far from the Thornburg-area farm. Thursday morning, after reading a lost-and-found ad, a department official called Grampp to inform her that they thought they had the family dog. Grampp said she replied: "You guys are contacting me from an ad in the paper instead of reading the collar or scanning the microchip?" Grampp said during the six days the dog was missing, she thought someone with animal control would have called her if they had the dog because it had tags and a microchip. The tag on Dusty is gold and about 11/2-inches wide. It wraps around her neck and has her name and a phone number clearly stamped on it. In hindsight, Grampp said she wishes she had called the department. She said anyone who loses a pet should call Animal Control. Timm, the animal control officer, and his supervisor met with Grampp Thursday afternoon, he said. On the day Dusty disappeared Timm said a caller reported a dog bite on Morgan Lane near the farm. Timm said the animal control officer did not see skin breakage on the victim so he did not need to complete a state bite report.
The solution-hire someone who loves animals, has common sense, the ability to read, write & knows how to make a phone call. This isn't rocket science ACO's!
Quote from article "The officer checked the area for a dog running at large that fit the description. Instead, he came across Dusty, a dog that did not fit the description of the dog bite report. The officer brought Dusty back to the department for running at large." Missing dog Dusty was NOT the same dog that was aggressive. Dusty was wearing a collar with owner's name and phone number on it. How hard is it to make that call, even before transporting the dog to the pound? Public service???
Where do you read that the dog is aggressive? Why are you diverting attention for the real issue which is the failure of the staff to do their job properly. This group has been in the news numerous times due their inability to execute their duties.
In the real world these people would be fired.
arrogance is when people in positions of authority are
incompetent and blame it on the people harmed by their
incompetence.
I notice the spokesperson said something about people
complaining about their "service".
Can you imagine the Sheriff inviting people to complain
about their "service" if a deputy or the Sheriffs office itself
were incompetent at their mission?
There's a problem in AC Management - crystal clear.
they need to fire incompetent and arrogant personnel and
start over.
AC in the county has had difficulties for years. They were recently reorganized -- to no avail it seems. To have a dog with ID not properly handled is a serious management problem. They need more training in how to handle dogs and I agree with 'larryg' on cutting pay for any more failures. The BOS must get this fixed & soon.
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