Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control is now providing animal control services to the residents of New Haven.

Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control and the City of New Haven entered into an inter local agreement allowing officers to uphold New Haven’s city ordinances and respond to calls of stray dogs running loose, injured domestic animals, bite investigations, and reports of animal abuse and neglect.  New Haven does not currently have an animal shelter or capability to house animals. Prior to entering a contract with Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control, The City of New Haven contracted with Allen County Animal Control to pick up animals found stray and deliver them to the shelter. Now, calls regarding animals in the City of New Haven will be dispatched directly to Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control officers.

“More than 300 animals originating from New Haven were brought to us by citizens, Allen County Animal Control and/or a representative for the City of New Haven last year,” Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control Director Amy-Jo Sites said. “We are pleased to be able to enter into this inter local agreement with the City of New Haven.  Other than barking and sanitation complaints, our officers will be providing field services to the residents of New Haven.  Since October 1^st, our ACO’s have responded to almost 70 calls of service.”

Previously, animal issues in the City of New Haven were handled by volunteer reserve officers, code enforcement officers, full-time patrol officers and Allen County Animal Control. The City of New Haven has agreed to pay a prorated amount for the remainder of 2019 to Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control and $48,578 in 2020. The agreement is to be reviewed every two years. 

“The City of New Haven is proud to be partnering with Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control to provide quality service for our residents and pets,” New Haven Chief of Police Jeff McCracken said. “This partnership will provide our city with professional services from one entity that will include; containment of aggressive or stray animals, transportation of animals to the shelter and animal neglect/abuse investigations.”

Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control officers have been granted authority to enforce New Haven’s ordinances, which have been updated to reflect current laws and animal needs. 

Animal Control Officers are on duty seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. to address concerns of animal welfare. Should citizens have the need to surrender their owned pet, they will be able schedule an appointment with Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control located at 3020 Hillegas Road during normal business hours at no additional charge.

Fort Wayne, IN – Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control has been awarded a Bright Idea Award for profiling its cold cases with media partner WANE-TV.

Over the course of the summer FWACC teamed up with WANE-TV to get the public’s help on solving open investigations. Eight cold cases were profiled in the segments and several tips from the public poured into the shelter. The cases ranged from extremely emaciated animals to deceased animals.

The initiative has raised awareness about the work Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control does to end animal cruelty and neglect in our community and educate the public on the known link between animal abuse and other types of abuse. It’s also sparked statewide attention from animal-welfare advocates working to strengthen animal laws in Indiana.

“We are fortunate to be in a community that is filled with passionate animal lovers and by taking these unsolved cases to the public with the help of our partners at WANE-TV we’ve been able to give a voice to the voiceless,” Pasquinelli said.

Director Amy-Jo Sites and Community Relations and Education Specialist Holly Pasquinelli received the award on behalf of the shelter at the Great Lakes Animal Welfare Conference held in Detroit. The award is presented by Michigan Humane Society which selects five animal shelters to receive Bright Ideas Awards. These shelters kicked off a creative campaign, thought up a cutting-edge project, or made exciting improvements to their facilities and shared their ideas with other shelters at the Great Lakes Animal Welfare Conference.

This is the second time Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control has been recognized with a Bright Idea Award. It received the honor in 2015 for the Community Cat Program.

Fort Wayne, IN – Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control wants to remind residents of precautions to take around bats to prevent possible exposure to rabies. 

Rabies is a viral disease of the central nervous system that is almost always fatal once symptoms begin. The virus is carried in the saliva of infected animals and is usually transmitted to people and other animals when they are bitten or scratched by the rabid animal.

Bats transmit the most human cases of rabies in Indiana. While it is still a low percentage of bats that do carry rabies, a bat that is active during the day, is unable to fly, or is found in a place where bats are not usually seen -- such as a room in your home -- is more likely to be rabid.

Bats present an additional concern because they have small, sharp teeth which may not leave a visible mark. Persons exposed to bats are often given the rabies vaccine as a precaution, especially if the bat is found in a room with a young child, a sleeping person, an intoxicated or mentally-impaired person.

In many cases, however, the expensive treatment is unnecessary if the bat can be safely captured alive and found to be rabies-free.

If a bat is found inside your home, do not kill it or set it free if there is a chance it may have come in contact with a person or pet. Instead, residents are urged to contain the bat and contact Animal Care & Control immediately so the bat can be tested for rabies.

To safely capture a bat indoors:
- close the windows, room and closet doors
- turn on lights
- wait for the bat to land
- wearing long sleeves and heavy gloves, cover the bat with a pail, coffee can or similar    container

• NEVER touch a bat with your bare hands
• call your local animal control office

If you spot a grounded bat outdoors, you can prevent further contact with people and pets by covering it with a pail or similar container and then calling Animal Care & Control.

Protect your pets by making sure they are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations. As a precaution, never handle wild animals.

If an exposure does occur, immediately wash the wound with soap and water and then seek medical attention. Call Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control at (260) 427-1244 or ask your healthcare provider or the emergency room staff to fax a completed bite report form to (260) 427-5514.

More information can be found at www.allencountyhealth.com or by calling (260) 427-1244.