Citizens Square Blog

Share the Road

Karen — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:52:49 +0000

Far too often drivers of passenger motor vehicles who have been involved in a collision with a motorcycle report that they never saw the motorcyclist and failed to respond in time. Last year in Indiana, 152 motorcyclists were killed in traffic crashes. Yet inattentiveness is no excuse – we must all drive and ride defensively in order to prevent unnecessary crashes, injuries and fatalities from occurring. Here are some helpful reminders for motorists and motorcyclists:
• Remember, a motorcycle is a vehicle with all of the rights and privileges of any other motor vehicle.
• Always allow a motorcyclist the full lane width—never try to share a lane.
• Perform a visual check for motorcycles by checking mirrors and blind spots before entering or exiting a lane of traffic, and at intersections.
• Always signal your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
• Don’t be fooled by a flashing turn signal on a mo¬torcycle – motorcycle signals are often not self-canceling and riders sometimes forget to turn them off. Wait to be sure the motorcycle is going to turn before you proceed.
• Allow more following distance – three or four sec¬onds – when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emer¬gency.
• Never tailgate. In dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than cars.
• Never drive while distracted.
Motorcyclists have responsibilities, too. They should obey traffic rules, be alert to other drivers, never ride while impaired or distracted, and always wear a helmet and other protective gear.
• Avoiding riding in poor weather conditions;
• Wearing brightly colored protective gear and a DOT-compliant helmet;
• Using turn signals for every turn or lane change, even if the rider thinks no one will see it;
• Combining hand signals and turn signals to draw more attention to themselves;
• Using reflective tape and stickers to increase conspicuity;
• Positioning themselves in the lane where they will be most visible to other drivers; and
• Never riding while impaired
Contributed by Raquel Foster, Public Information Officer, Fort Wayne Police Department

Should You Feed Stray Cats?

Karen — Mon, 06 May 2013 20:45:32 +0000

Should You Feed Stray Cats?
It’s difficult to see hungry stray cats, but feeding them might not be the best thing to do. Animal lovers understandably want strays to have a reliable food source, but if you become that source by leaving cat food outside, you will be attracting even more problems. Here are a few facts and solutions to consider:
• Stray cats are nearly always unaltered and will begin having litters from spring through fall by the time they are six months of age. One stray cat soon becomes many.

• Stray cats are unvaccinated and come in contact with bats and other wild animals that can carry the fatal disease rabies.
• Leaving food outside will attract wildlife to your door.
• Stray cats are a source for fleas, hookworms, roundworms and ringworms, which can be transmitted to humans.
• Stray cats can spread diseases to other animals.
• Encouraging strays to be near your home increases the chance of someone being bitten.
• In Fort Wayne, feeding stray animals is considered harboring, which makes you legally responsible for the animals on your property.
All these reasons are why you should not feed stray cats and what can happen if you do. So let’s look at other options to help stray cats. Inside the city, you can call the Animal Care & Control department for assistance at 260-427-1244. The shelter can provide you with a trap to humanely catch strays coming to your property. The cats can be brought to the shelter or an officer can be sent to your home to pick them up.
If the cat coming to your home belongs to someone in the neighborhood, report the address of where the cat lives and a letter will be sent to the home owner to remind them of the city leash laws for cats and dog.
Should you choose to take full responsibility for a cat that you know is abandoned and without an owner, have it treated by a veterinarian, spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated. Confine the cat to an area of your home for a few days with its food and litterbox and slowly begin introducing the cat to its new, inside living spaces one paw at a time.
Contributed by Peggy Bender, Community Relations and Education Specialist, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control

Adopt A Pet — It’s Simple

Karen — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:06:48 +0000

When snow melts and temperatures warm we frequently see people making plans to add a new pet to the home. The Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control department always has a great selection of animals available and ready for your family to meet. The process of adopting takes one day to select a pet and a second day to take home the pet. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:

• No, a fenced yard is not required to adopt a dog. It’s a common misconception, but we feel that many families are able to raise a dog with great success without a fenced backyard.
• Come one come all. We are happy to talk with people from outside Fort Wayne or Allen County or even the state of Indiana who want to adopt a great FWACC animal.
• Adopting a pet is a family affair. After all, everyone will be living with the new addition. Those that can’t help in selecting the pet should visit the following day to meet, greet and help with the take home.
• Do you have other pets at home? Check to see that your current pets are up to date with vaccinations prior to adopting. It’s for their protection.
• The pet adoption fee always includes the spay/neuter surgery, initial vaccination, microchip and a donated wellness exam by local veterinary clinics.

The adoption center is open Monday-Friday from 12-5 p.m. and on Wednesdays until 7 p.m. For added convenience, the adoption center is open the first and third Saturday of each month from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. See photos of available pets at www.fwacc.org and on the City TV bulletin board.

Contributed by Peggy Bender, Community Relations and Education Specialist, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control

Cat Traps Available to Help Stray Cats

Karen — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:07:54 +0000

Animal Care & Control has live cat traps available for any city resident who may want to remove one or more stray cats from an area. With current cold temperatures and wind chills, stray animals are more likely to experience painful frostbite and hypothermia. Removing them humanely from the streets with a live trap not only prevents suffering, but can also reduce the spread of disease and animal waste. To obtain a live trap, call 260-427-1244 (option one on the menu) to speak with a clerk. Stray cats breed continually from spring until fall, which creates additional stray cats that pray on song birds, and cause disturbances for neighbors.

As much as we want to help homeless animals, feeding strays only encourages them to continue multiplying. By city law, any person who puts out food for strays is harboring and may be held responsible for the vaccinations and spay/neutering of those animals. Call the shelter office for trap availability and as always, keep your own cats inside your home for safety.

Contributed by Peggy Bender, Community Relations and Education Specialist, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control

Avoid Fines and Court

Karen — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 20:24:11 +0000

Sometimes, something as innocent as a cuddly, lovable dog or cat can land people in court.

It happens when pet owners overlook the requirements and responsibilities that come with owning man’s best friend. On the surface, it might look as if someone is in court for not purchasing a yearly city pet registration tag. Failure to spay or neuter a dog or cat that was picked up for repeatedly running through the neighborhood can also be a ticket to court.

Officials with Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control say that most court appearances can be easily avoided by taking care of what is required within 30 days of an issued ticket. The ticket will then be void and no fines will be imposed.

So how then do people end up in court over pet registration tags or other violations of city law? According to shelter officials it happens because of three scenarios:

The pet owner ignores the ticket.
The pet owner gives away the animal and thinks the ticket goes away.
The pet owner fails to call Animal Care & Control before the date specified on the ticket.

It’s not uncommon for someone to forget to get the yearly vaccinations and pet registration tag required for all city dogs and cats. It can happen to any pet owner. The ticket issued by an animal control officer is a reminder. It’s called a void of compliance ticket because once the pet owner takes care of the circumstances of the ticket and notifies the shelter, the ticket is void and fines go away.

Ignore the ticket or fail to notify Animal Care & Control and the pet owner will be called into court. Ignore the court date and a warrant will be issued by the court for the pet owner’s arrest.

It’s certainly easier to make a plan and make a call to avoid court.

Without a doubt, pet ownership can be a joy, but it comes with work and responsibility. Cleaning up after them, daily walks, scooping the litterbox, grooming, the cost of yearly vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, an obedience class, preventative medicines, a registration tag and a microchip come at a price. Pets simply need us to be reliable and in return their unconditional love and companionship makes it worth the cost and the effort.

Contributed by Peggy Bender, Community Relations and Education Specialist, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control

Motorists reminded to stop for school buses

Karen — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:32:40 +0000

School transportation officials are reporting an increasing number of school bus “STOP arm” violations happening around Fort Wayne. In an effort to increase safety for students getting on/off school buses, the Fort Wayne Police Department is reminding motorists of their duty to heed the STOP arm warning of school buses – especially on undivided roadways. Many of the violations are occurring on four-lane undivided roadways such as Illinois Road, Aboite Center Road, Rudisill Boulevard, Spy Run Avenue and Hobson Road. In many cases, school bus drivers are reporting that oncoming traffic/vehicles are disregarding the extended STOP arm of the school bus. An undivided roadway is one where a barrier (or intervening space) does not exist to separate lanes of oncoming traffic. On undivided roadways, motorists in all lanes of travel are required to stop when a school bus has stopped and has the ‘STOP’ device extended.

Thousands of students are transported daily to and from school via school buses and should be able to board school buses safely, without fear of being struck by a moving vehicle. Drivers of vehicles who are encountering school buses need to slow down and be ready to stop if necessary. Police remind motorists that passing a school bus that is stopped on a roadway with the STOP arm device extended is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail, and a $1,000 fine. The offense is a Class A misdemeanor if it causes bodily injury to a person and is punishable by up to one year of incarceration and a $5,000 fine. Motorists can expect to see patrol vehicles in those areas where an increasing number of violations have occurred.

City Offers Half Price Dog Adoption Fees

Karen — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 18:25:23 +0000

There’s never been a better time to find a great companion at Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control. October is National Adopt-a-Dog Month and to celebrate, we are cutting the dog adoption fee in half for all year-old or older dogs. Nearly every dog kennel is filled at the shelter and temperament testing has proven many to be sound and kid-friendly. It really is a great time to adopt!

Some of the dogs at the shelter have been given up by owners who didn’t have the time or finances to care for them, while others were brought in as a stray, without identification. We make every effort to return animals to their proper homes, but if that isn’t possible, then we work towards adoption.

Caring for a dog is a long-term commitment. Daily walks, yearly visits to the veterinarian, obedience school and grooming are all expenses that must be considered. Ask yourself if you have the time to responsibly care for a dog and all its needs. If you are ready, then visit the shelter’s website at www.fwacc.org to view photos of slipper-fetching, Frisbee-catching dogs waiting for a home. You can also print an adoption profile from the website to fill out in advance. It’s a time saver.

Animal Care & Control’s adoption hours are Monday-Friday 12 to 5 p.m., Wednesdays until 7 p.m. and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the first and third Saturdays of the month. The normal dog adoption fee of $85 will be reduced to $42.50 thanks to a special national grant. Fee includes the spay/neuter surgery, microchip and first combination vaccine. Local vet clinics will donate the first wellness check-up.

Energy Grant Boosts Efficiency of 3 Buildings

Karen — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:26:48 +0000

Thanks to a block grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, three Fort Wayne buildings are now safer and more energy efficient. In 2008, the City of Fort Wayne’s Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services (OHNS) received a $2.47 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act enacted to help stimulate the economy; all work paid for with those dollars has been completed. This grant enabled the City to make critical upgrades to heating, cooling and lighting systems at three public buildings: Citizens Square, Fire Station #1 and Science Central. The grant allowed the City to save local taxpayers the immediate cost of upgrading the systems and will also provide long-term cost-savings on utility bills.

The bulk of the work was completed at Citizens Square, 200 E. Berry St. Approximately $1.72 million was used to bring all the mechanical systems up to current code, to increase the capacity of the heating and cooling systems to accommodate a larger number of people working in the building and to upgrade lighting to make it more energy efficient.

The grant also helped pay for upgrades to Fire Station #1, 419 E. Main St. A little more than $500,000 was spent on upgrades to heating and cooling systems, energy efficient windows and energy efficient lighting. The work also ensured that Fire Station #1 now meets new mechanical codes requiring additional outside air ventilation. The work helped save approximately $5,600 annually on utility bills for the fire station.

“An added benefit of the $2.47 million grant was the boost it gave to the local and national economy,” said Heather Presley-Cowen, director of the OHNS. “All general contractors and design consultants who worked on the projects were based in Fort Wayne. Additionally, at least 95 percent of all the materials used in the upgrades were made in the United States.”

Science Central, 1950 N. Clinton St., was the last project to be funded. For approximately $214,000, the heating and cooling systems were upgraded and lighting was replaced to be more energy efficient.

“The grant had an interesting two-angle value to Science Central,” stated Martin S. Fisher, executive director of Science Central. “Obviously, the cost savings are important to us as a community-based educational and cultural attraction. Science Central is a non-profit. Saving a little money on utilities allows us to use a little more money on our hands-on exhibits or interactive programs. However, and maybe more importantly, it’s mission-based for us. It’s an educational opportunity! We teach our visitors about natural sciences such as environmental resources, and physical sciences, such as energy. Now, with these new green technologies, we have the opportunity to show our visitors applied sciences. In other words, we’re showing real-world connections!”

The City’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services has worked to ensure that all dollars were spent according to Federal guidelines, including making sure that all waste generated from the projects was either disposed of responsibly or was properly recycled.

Coyotes in the City

Madeline — Fri, 18 May 2012 18:46:25 +0000

It’s a fact that citizens living in the suburbs are the ones most likely to encounter coyotes that have been living on the outskirts of our subdivisions and near cornfields for years. While citizens are always advised to use caution around wildlife of any kind and urged to always supervise pets, it’s important that we not create an unfounded panic towards coyotes. For example, fake coyote decoys were recently discovered around a pond in a city business park. They were probably placed there to deter geese, but citizens thought they were real.

Wildlife falls under the jurisdiction of the DNR who can address questions. Citizens can also contact a licensed nuisance wildlife control operator.

To live safely and in harmony with coyotes, here are a few facts to keep in mind:

Coyote pups are born in spring. As the pups are weaned, hunting is intensified to provide food.
Coyotes are critical in the food chain, consuming rodents, rabbits and other natural prey.
Coyotes are quick learners. They adjust and alter how they live and what they eat when changes occur in their habitat based on human activity.
Don’t welcome coyotes into your yard. Keep all possible food items inside and out of reach including leftovers on the grill, open trash, pet food or an unsupervised cat or dog.

Students Rally to Help Homeless Animals

Madeline — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:00:44 +0000

Student members of the Animal Care Teen (ACT) program at Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control will rally together on Saturday, March 17 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. to conduct a special Stuff the Whisker Wag’n service event. Their goal is to collect much needed canned food for homeless shelter dogs and cats. ACT students decided on the project after learning that 6,435 cats and kittens arrived at the shelter during the spring and fall months of 2011. In total 8,027 lost and homeless felines and 6,118 canines were sheltered at Animal Care & Control last year.

Citizens are asked to drop off canned food suitable for cats, kittens, puppies and dogs to help the shelter prepare for spring litters and homeless strays. Dry food is not needed at this time. For those who donate a case of canned pet food, they will be thanked with a coupon for a free Chick-fil-A sandwich as supplies last. The Whisker Wag’n will be parked in the Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control parking lot located at 3020 Hillegas Road. Rain or shine, teens will eagerly await donations for this first ever event.

The Animal Care Teen program in its 26th year offers youth who are ages 13-17 an opportunity to learn about animal related careers, develop leadership skills, and to ACT for animals through service work.

Contributed by Peggy Bender, Community Relations and Education Specialist, Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control