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Animal Rescue League warns Cumru officials: rabies response and community‑cat management need clearer local planning
Summary
Ashley, CEO of the Animal Rescue League, told Cumru Township officials the county’s animal-control system has gaps, cited 17 confirmed rabies cases in Berks County for 2025 and described a Perry Township case where eight people were bitten; ARL urged the township to plan for rabies response, TNVR vouchers and police support and offered resources and survey help.
Ashley, who identified herself as CEO of the Animal Rescue League (ARL), told Cumru Township commissioners that gaps in local animal‑control services increase public‑health and public‑safety risk and urged steps to strengthen rabies response, community‑cat management, and dog‑containment capacity.
"Rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms start," Ashley said, noting Berks County recorded 17 positive rabies cases in calendar 2025 and describing a Perry Township incident in which a community cat bit eight residents; one person faced a roughly $20,000 bill for a recommended rabies series. She urged the township to identify who would contain suspicious animals, who would prepare specimens for testing, and how vaccine clinics would be funded and prioritized.
ARL recommended three "non‑negotiables": (1) rabies bite and response management with trained, vaccinated field staff and specimen‑preparation capacity; (2) community‑cat management using trap‑neuter‑vaccinate‑return (TNVR) vouchers to reduce stray populations and increase vaccination rates; and (3) dog‑management partnerships to assist police with aggressive or injured dogs and provide housing and medical care for strays.
Board members asked about costs and providers. Ashley said ARL’s full‑service animal‑control offering is currently priced at approximately $4 per capita but acknowledged there are less expensive options and that some townships contract with other providers; she offered to provide educational materials and help draft a resident survey to gauge demand for services. Township staff noted the current contract for animal control is with Safety Net (safety net sanctuary) and said the board may post ARL materials and consider next steps when budgets allow.
The presentation emphasized prevention, clearer referral pathways for residents, and better coordination between police, animal‑control providers and county health resources. ARL said it would share links and materials after the meeting; no formal procurement or contract decision was made at the session.
