City's animal control center launches 'Save-A-Pet' program

Columbus’ Animal Care and Control Center has started a program dubbed “Save-A-Pet” that officials hope will significantly reduce the number of animals euthanized at the facility, Mayor Teresa Tomlinson announced Thursday.

“They say we judge a society by how they treat those most in need,” Tomlinson said at the Milgen Road property the CACCC shares with PAWS, Inc. “Generally we’re talking about children, the elderly and those in poverty. But that certainly includes those animals that come to depend on us.”

The program will follow a nine-step program designed to find homes for more animals. The steps involve using heightened publicity, use of volunteers and rescue groups, spaying and neutering, foster pet care and education for pet owners.

While city officials say they hope to reduce the number of pets euthanized, it would be impractical if not impossible for an animal control center never to have to put an animal down, Tomlinson said. For that reason, the city rejected the more common reference, “No Kill,” as misleading.

“We will take every opportunity to maximize the chance that every animal brought into the animal care and control center will find a home, all adoptable animals,” Tomlinson said. “There will always be those that are aggressive, there will always be those that are injured or sick, and because of those conditions will have to, by necessity and by a sense of compassion and humanity, be euthanized.”

In 2009, the CACCC handled 7,905 animals, according to its website. Of those, 762 were placed in homes and 707 were reunited with their owners.

This story was originally published September 22, 2011 at 3:51 PM with the headline "City's animal control center launches 'Save-A-Pet' program."