City of Fort Wayne – Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control announced that it is one of five animal welfare and law enforcement agencies in the country chosen to receive a grant of $8,000 from a national animal welfare organization, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®). The grant to Fort Wayne will fund supplemental equipment to the shelter's enforcement division for animal cruelty crime scene investigations.
According to Animal Care & Control Deputy Director Amy Jo Sites, "The generosity of this national organization headquartered in New York allows us to enhance our investigative skills and to further achieve our mission for prevention of animal neglect and cruelty."
"Through these grants, the ASPCA is able to empower agencies to investigate and bring justice for animal cruelty victims in their communities," added Allison Cardona, grants officer for the ASPCA's Field Investigations and Response team. "It's encouraging to see that more groups such as Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control are recognizing the importance of addressing animal cruelty and allocating resources to further advance their capabilities in responding to incidents on a local level."
Animal Care and Control officers respond to a multitude of calls within the city every day. In 2011, officers completed 22,660 total calls for service. Of that total, 6,262 were investigations that included concerns of cruelty, neglect, or animal bites.
Examples of the type of equipment purchased include crime scene photography scales, blood detection equipment, laser measuring devices, a cadaver storage refrigerator, evidence storage and other items.
The supplies and equipment will allow Animal Care and Control to further advance its case quality for animal cruelty investigations. The mission of Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control is to ensure public health and safety along with preventing pet overpopulation, animal neglect, and animal cruelty through education, rescue, and law enforcement.
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About the ASPCA®
Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation's leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA's mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org