FY2022 Adopted Operating and Capital Budget

FY2022 Adopted Budget Organizational Budgets

Division of Animal Control

Division of Animal Control The Frederick County Division of Animal Control provides shelter and care for stray and homeless animals, presents educational programs to schools and organizations, maintains community outreach programs, assists pet owners in finding lost pets, and enforces laws pertaining to animals. The division investigates animal bites and animal cruelty cases for prosecution. The Frederick County Division of Animal Control serves a unique role in the community. Animal Control Officers ensure public health and safety through enforcement of laws and ordinances. They not only respond to calls for service, but serve in a capacity of educating the public on animal care, appropriate food and shelter, and provide resources and outreach for County residents in need. Additionally, they perform investigations; their findings are crucial in legal proceedings.

,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKH PRUH ³SXEOLF IDFLQJ´ SRVLWLRQV RI $QLPDO &RQWURO Officers, support staff at the shelter consistently work to be responsive to public need in a timely manner. Shelter staff coordinate pet adoptions, animal care, and ensure that associated administrative tasks are performed to meet or exceed public expectations. 7KH 'LYLVLRQ¶V VWDWLVWLFV FRQVLVWHQWO\ UHIOHFW D PRYH LQ WKH ULJKW GLUHFWLRQ with trends of owner surrendered pets and animal euthanasia declining RYHU WLPH 7KH 'LYLVLRQ LQ D FRRUGLQDWHG HIIRUW ZLWK WKH &RXQW\¶V ,,7 Division, is working towards an interactive statistics page that will be available online.

While the overall number of animal intakes has declined over the past few years, there is still a need to provide a shelter environment for unwanted or stray animals. The Frederick County Division of Animal Control maintains a high standard of care for shelter animals by providing preventative vaccines and parasite treatments, enrichment and a clean, safe environment, and ensure that all adopted pets are spayed or neutered before leaving the shelter. Additionally, the Division holds routine, low-cost microchip clinics.

Educating the public on all things animal-related is incumbent on all Division SRVLWLRQV (GXFDWLRQ LV D ILUVW ³JR WR´ WR HQVXUH FRPPXQLW\ DZDUHQHVV RI WKH appropriate treatment of animals. For families in need of the basics to maintain a family pet, the Division maintains a pet food bank.

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