Kane County will handle stray animals in Batavia

From now on, stray and injured animals discovered in Batavia will be handled by Kane County Animal Control instead of the city.

The city council unanimously approved an agreement that would hand animal control duties, such as transporting sick or injured small wildlife and the pickup of stray or dangerous dogs, to the county. The Kane County Board previously approved an ordinance allowing itself to contract with municipalities within the county for its animal control services.

Animals will be taken to the county's animal control facility at Keslinger and Peck roads in Geneva.

Batavia City Administrator Bill McGrath pointed out that Animal Control will handle only injured wildlife, and will not pick up nuisance animals. Injured or diseased animals that will be picked up include skunks, raccoons and bats. Larger wildlife, such as deer and coyotes, also won't be handled by the county, and McGrath advised citizens to contact private trappers in those cases.

Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke praised the agreement, saying that it would bring needed expertise to the city.

"I'm pleased by the support and partnership that have developed on this issue," said Schielke. "When it comes to stray dogs, there really are no boundaries. A lot of them enter from elsewhere, so it's good to have intergovernmental cooperation."

Schielke also stated that building an animal holding facility would cost the city too much.

McGrath informed the council of the county's charges, which are issued for each pickup or disposal. The pickup of a stray animal costs $100, while disposal of a sick animal is $200.

Furthermore, Kane County Animal Control will respond solely to calls from the Batavia Police Department, ensuring that the city will not get the bill for calls generated by private citizens.

Batavia residents can contact the city at (630) 454-2000 or visit the city's Web site at www.cityofbatavia.net to learn more.