Animal shelter cuts hours

Beginning Feb. 7, the Douglas County Animal Control shelter is reducing hours to cope with a county budget shortfall.

Supervisor Janet Duzan said the shelter will be open every day but Monday. The only services available Sundays will be adoptions.

"We have one staff member alone on Sunday and Monday, and the volunteers, concerned about losing Sundays as adoption days, stepped up to learn how to be counselors," Duzan said.

Volunteers in Douglas Animal Welfare Group are undergoing training to handle adoptions on Sundays only.

She said no officer will be available on Sunday or Monday to do licensing, handle complaints, or accept pets released to the shelter.

"With the budget cuts, we had to lay off one employee," Duzan said.

Duzan said economic woes are reflected in the increase in the number of animals being released by their owners to the shelter.

"A lot of people want to do owner releases. They're moving out of the area because of the economy," she said. "We've even noticed a trend with foreclosures. Peoples' houses are being foreclosed on and they're moving to a place where they can't take animals. I just went to Ruhenstroth where I met the bank representative with the cat the family had to leave behind."

Animals can be released to the shelter for $25 if they are spayed or neutered, and $50 if not.

Duzan said the fees are mandatory.

"A gentleman just had to leave two dogs. He came here from Texas and had no job yet. It's just heartbreaking," Duzan said.

She said the shelter had limited space to take animals and was working through a waiting list.

The shelter is at 921 Dump Road, Gardnerville.