Lost pet fees way too high

/p>

Imagine the tragic scenario: your beloved dog or cat decides to venture out into the world and gets lost. You search in anguish and desperately call local shelters and police stations. You spend the night fretting over the whereabouts of your friend. Thankfully, you receive that heartwarming call to inform you your pet has been rescued, but this is where the story sours. The caller informs you that you must pay $300 to reclaim your family member from the Anderson Animal Shelter.

Mildly put, I was shocked and appalled. On top of that, it came to light that the shelter had been in possession of my dog the very same day that he escaped our yard, yet didn't return my two calls until the next day. I learned the shelter and the South Elgin Police have an arrangement, so I redirected my qualms to Chief Merritt, who explained the arrangement. When an animal is found by an officer, it is turned over to the shelter, which in turn presents the police station with a bill for $302.50 to accept the responsibility. If the dog is claimed by the owner for $300, the shelter reimburses the station $300. If the dog isn't claimed, the shelter can adopt out the dog to a new family for $200, but still gets to pocket the original money paid by the station, or in other words, our tax dollars.

Don't get me wrong, I understand that Anderson Animal Shelter primarily operates a necessary and humane service to our community; however, I felt completely taken advantage of and that they essentially bullied me into funding their organization. And what about families strapped for cash? While reclaiming my dog, I ran into a disheartened gentleman and his young teenage son. Not only could they not afford the fee; the shelter wouldn't even allow the dejected young boy to see his dog.

After voicing my outrage, the polite and apologetic director called me to offer a refund, voicing concern over any bad feelings felt about the shelter. She added the shelter did their best to lower the fees for families that were unable to pay the entire amount. What I would appreciate more than a refund is for Anderson Animal Shelter to seriously reconsider the steep price of the reclamation of family pets.

Jean Panichi

South Elgin