Fred's Frequently Asked Questions

General

• Where are you located?
• Where is your telephone number in the telephone book?
• What are your hours?
• Are you the Humane Society?
• Who funds your department?
• Do you take donations?
• What is animal control? What do you do?
• What type of animals do you handle?
• Who do I call if I have an animal problem at night or on a weekend?
• What are the strangest calls to which you have responded?

Animal Control Laws

• Is there a leash law in Columbus?
• Why do I have to license my pet?
• What can be done about barking dogs?
• What can be done about my neighbors cat "doing it's business" in my flowerbeds?

Animal Shelter & Adoption

• How many animals do you handle in a year?
• What kind of animals do you have at the shelter?
• How long do you hold animals?
• Do you have pets for adoption?
• How much does it cost?
• What is the process for adopting pets from your shelter?
• Why do the adopted pets have to be spayed or neutered?
• Why don't you just give them away?
• Why do you have to destroy animals?

Where are you located?

The Columbus Animal Control Center is located at the Columbus Municipal Airport(Bakalar) 2730 Arnold St. (the far east end of Arnold Street)

Where is your telephone number in the telephone book?

Our telephone number is listed under CITY OF COLUMBUS OFFICES in the business section of the white pages in the telephone book. Our regular office telephone number is: 376-2505 After hours we can be reached through the Columbus Police Department 376-2600

What are your hours?

Shelter hours are:
Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday 8:00 am -Noon.
Closed Sundays and Holidays
We will also meet with people before or after those hours if necessary. and We have an Animal Control Officer on-call 24 hours a day to respond to calls.

Are you the Humane Society?

No, we are not the humane society. We are one of the departments of the City of Columbus. We are a division of the Columbus Police Department. We may utilize many humane ideals and objectives in our operation. We adhere to many guidelines set forth by nationally recognized Humane Organizations. But technically we are not a humane society.

Who funds your department?

This department is primarily funded by your tax dollars. That is one reason why we feel we should be available to you when you need us.

Do you take donations?

Yes, we welcome donations. If you want to know what kind, we prefer pet food, supplies, toys, grooming items, etc. Monetary donations, if not specifically designated for the spay/neuter fund, will go to the City's general fund.

What is animal control? What do you do?

Our department provides 24 hour a day service for animal related concerns or problems within the city limits of Columbus. Not only do we operate a shelter for stray and unwanted animals, we enforce the animal related laws within the city. (including city, state and federal laws). We also do the following:

What type of animals do you handle?

We not only handle dogs and cats, but we also deal with wildlife(raccoons, opossums, snakes, deer, fox, skunks, chipmunks, ground squirrels, bats, squirrels, coyotes, wolves, beaver, large and small birds, etc.) We have also dealt with farm animals(pigs, goats, horses, and cows)

Who do I call if I have an animal problem at night or on a weekend?

If the Shelter is closed, city residents can call the Columbus Police Department at 376-2600 for assistance by our department, or you can leave a message on our voice mail. We try to respond to any animal related call, anytime. Not just emergencies. This includes lost and found pets, barking dogs, animals running loose, wildlife problems etc..
COUNTY RESIDENTS WITH ANIMAL RELATED PROBLEMS SHOULD CALL-County Animal Control 372-1935.

What are the strangest calls to which you've responded?

Not only do we rescue cats from trees, or remove the opossum from your cupboard. We have also rescued geese from oil spills, deer from inside apartments, pulled dogs from old wells and drain pipes, cats from inside walls and ductwork, and snakes from inside stoves.

Is there a leash law in Columbus?

The technical answer to that question is NO. A leash law requires all pets to be on a leash or lead or within a secure enclosure at all times. In theory that's great, is it enforceable or realistic, no. This would mean if you were outside playing frisbee with your dog it would have to be on a leash. Or if your grandmother was working in her garden and her poodle was sleeping under a tree, the animal control department could fine her for not having her pet on a leash. It is always the responsible thing to do to have your pet leashed when you can't devote your total attention to them, or when exercising your pet in a populated area or when approaching strangers. The community recognizes that most pet owners are responsible. Those pet owners that have their pets properly trained, can keep control of their pets, keeping their pets close to them and off of other persons property, should not necessarily have to keep them on a leash. But those who can not, or will not control their pets, can be required by the Animal Control Dept., to keep their pets under physical restraint at all times(the leash law).

Why do I have to license my pet?

Simple answer, it's the law. It has been the law since the late at least 1906 in Columbus. However we look at it as 24 hour identification for your pet. Our officers keep a list of licensed pets and their owners with them in the vehicles. If your pet should get lost and we find it we can take it directly back home to you. (generally and no charge). Should you move we will update our records. Should you have someone else for us to contact we'll have that information. It shows that your pet is vaccinated against rabies, whether they are spayed or neutered, provides a slight incentive to spay or neuter pets, and it also helps defray the overall cost of animal control for this community. Rabies tags can only be traced when your veterinarian's office is open. ID tags only provide your home information and if you move you have to get another tag.

What can be done about barking dogs?

There are no specific time or length of time requirements for dogs to bark before they can be considered a public nuisance in this community. Sometimes just speaking with your neighbor will solve the problem. But if you don't feel comfortable with that or you've tried and there hasn't been any relief, you can contact our office and register a complaint. This first complaint can be anonymous, but we need the specific address of the problem. Our officers will go out and make contact with the owner of the pet. They will try to discuss what the owner can do to alleviate the problem, the owner's responsibilities in the matter, and possible legal action should the problem persist. Any further complaints concerning this matter require signed complaints by a witness. Our officers will then issue citations for the infraction. The witness must be willing to appear in court to testify should the owner deny that their pet causes a nuisance. Fines for nuisance violations increase for each offense and a complainant may sign complaints for each separate incident.

What can be done about my neighbors cat "doing it's business" in my flowerbeds?

Cats, just like dogs, are to be under the owner's control. If a cat owner allows their pet to come on to your property and do it's business then those are two separate violations that the owner is responsible for. You may contact us anytime to file a complaint, you do not need to leave your name or sign an affidavit, but we must see a violation take place before we can take any action involving fines or impoundment of the pet. You may not take any action upon yourself that would injure the cat.

How many animals do you handle in a year?

In 2000 our department handled over 2200 live animals.

What kind of animals do you have at the shelter?

We always have dogs and cats. Occasionally we may have small domestic pets(guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, parakeets, goldfish, ferrets, parrots, etc.) We also handle all sorts of wildlife, including birds, snakes, deer, bats, skunks, beaver, opossum, raccoons, chipmunks, ground squirrels, groundhogs, coyotes, wolves, fox, badgers, fish, etc..

How long do you hold animals?

Stray domestic pets(dogs and cats), we hold at least a week(7 days). During that time we will advertise them in the lost and found section of the newspaper. If the owner gives up their pet there is no holding period required. We may not hold them anytime at all. In general the average holding period is about 2 weeks for any pet we have. Healthy wildlife we try to release as soon as possible.

Do you animals for adoption?

Yes, we have many fine pets for adoption. We always have dogs and cats. Occasionally we may have, small domestic pets(guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, parakeets, goldfish, parrots, etc.)

How much does it cost?

The adoption fee from our department is $10.00. The new owner is required to have the pet spayed or neutered. The cost of the spay or neuter is at the new owners expense.

What is the process for adopting pets from your shelter?

-The process is generally quit simple. You need to visit the shelter and look for the pet that best suits your living situation.
-Once you find a pet you are interested in then you fill out a short application/questionnaire. This application reviews some of our policies, some things that you need to consider before owning a pet, and some basic background information on you.
-If the pet is available, then we ask you to call the next day to check to see if the application is approved.
-This waiting period gives you time to consider your decision again, and for us to check some of the background, such as verifying addresses, checking our records, speaking with landlords, etc. (We have an obligation to these pets to try to place them in good permanent homes, so they don't cause problems for you and your neighbors, and that they do not have to suffer again.)
-Hopefully the next day when you call, everything will be OK. You will then return for the pet, sign an adoption agreement, pay the adoption fee and take home your new family member.

Why do the adopted pets have to be spayed or neutered?

Unfortunately, there are over 10,000 dogs and cats bom in the country every minute, and there are not enough good homes for them all. Animal Shelters exist because no one can take care of all the animals and some pet owners are irresponsible. One means of controlling pet overpopulation is to have pets spayed or neutered. We adhere to that belief and do not want to perpetuate the overpopulation problem.

Why don't you just give them away?

There are some costs involved in taking care of pets at the shelter and this is the amount that has been determined by law. Many people treat something they get for free just like that, "it's free I can always get another", we don't want to condone that belief especially when it comes to pets. This token fee is so low because we know that you will be incurring some expenses for your pets care and we want you to take some of that responsibity.