Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Chester County animal shelter outlines heavy call volume, asks residents for donations and volunteers
Summary
Chester County Animal Control said last year it handled 1,772 callouts and is seeking donations, volunteers and community help as staff prepare to move into a new shelter and launch public programs such as DNA breed-ID kits and a Citizens Academy session on Aug. 19.
Morgan Shirley, Chester County communications officer, interviewed Animal Control Director Jesse Ruth and Animal Control Supervisor Stacy Hodgkin about shelter operations, community needs and plans for a new facility.
"Chester County Animal Control has 7 employees," Ruth said, outlining staffing that includes two field officers, an on-site administrator, two kennel assistants, a director and a supervisor. He said the shelter operates weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers emergency, after-hours response through 911.
Ruth described call volume as a major challenge. "Last year, we received 1,772 animal control callouts," he said, adding that about "127, I believe," of those were after-hours calls. He asked residents to use 911 for emergencies outside normal hours.
Ruth and Hodgkin urged community support for the shelter's food bank, saying supplies are low. "We are running low in cat food right now," Ruth said, and the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
