ANIMAL CONTROL

The time may be right for Cape Girardeau County and the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri to join forces in an effort to provide animal control in rural areas.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission and the Humane Society have held initial discussions. The Humane Society isn't in the animal-control business, but its director and board president agreed to discuss with the board the possibility of providing such services. Cape Girardeau and Jackson also will be asked to cooperate with county animal-control efforts.

One possibility is that the county could contract with the Humane Society, the cities of Cape Girardeau and Jackson -- or any combination thereof -- for animal control services. It seems logical that, with Cape Girardeau having two animal control officers and plans to hire a third and Jackson's central location, that some coordinated arrangement for animal control could be set up to serve all incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county. That could be done on a cost-share basis that could mean savings to each participating government.

Cape Girardeau's animal control officers already handle cases that the county sheriff's department can't handle, for instance when an animal must be tranquilized. The city is paid for the service. The county also already pays the Humane Society for shelter services when stray animals are brought in.

Currently, sheriff's deputies are having to handle reports of dangerous animals. That does not seem to be a good use of deputies' time with all of the other demands on them.

Rural areas are continuing to become more heavily populated, and the problem of some uncaring city-dwellers who dump unwanted dogs and cats along rural roads rather than take them to the Humane Society shelter continues. Both can only lead to an increased number of stray animals in rural areas.

On Jan. 1 Cape Girardeau County will move from second-class to first-class status, and county government will have the option of adopting animal-control ordinances that are more stringent than regulations imposed by existing state laws. As population growth continues in the county, there will be more need for animal regulations and someone to enforce them.

Putting together a service that draws upon the expertise of the Humane Society and Cape Girardeau's animal control officers could prove the most efficient method of handling all animal control needs in the county.