INDIANAPOLIS-- The City of Indianapolis impounded nine animals during a recent cold snap which resulted in below zero temperatures.
During the winter storm, Dec. 22-26, Indianapolis Animal Care Services responded to 143 calls for neglect or animals in immediate danger of death.
“This number does not include calls for assistance from law enforcement and not all of the neglect calls were for animals left in the cold, but a majority were,” said Brandi Pahl, Chief Communications Officer for the city’s Department of Business & Neighborhood Services/Animal Care Services.
The city’s care and treatment ordinance says you must bring your dog inside or into a temperature-controlled building kept between 40 to 80 degrees when the outside temperatures is 20 or below.
During the time period of Dec. 22-26, Indianapolis Animal Care Services issued 9 care and treatment citations and impounded 9 animals as a result of their investigations.
IACS saw an uptick in calls from concerned citizens during the frigid temperatures.
“We always want residents to call us when they see an animal being abused, neglected, or in serious danger,” Pahl said. “Our Animal Control Officers respond to calls 24 hours, 365 days a year, no matter the weather conditions. While it is great that residents called us during the last arctic blast, we hope to one day not have to respond to calls of animals being left out in extreme temperatures.”
If you see a dog left outside you should report it to the Mayor’s Action Center by calling 317-327-4MAC or using the Request Indy app.
Indianapolis Animal Care Services says its live release rate is now 84 percent, which means only 84 percent of the animals are leaving the shelter alive through adoptions, rescues or returning to owner.
As WRTV Investigates uncovered, that is the worst live release rate since 2015. Just two years ago, it was 91%.
RELATED | City says animals will die without fosters or adopters | Animal shelter workers verbally and physically assaulted
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