U. Saucon Renews Contract With Lehigh Co. Humane Society

Upper Saucon Township supervisors voted to renew the township's annual animal control contract with the Lehigh County Humane Society Monday, although they questioned what other options exist for dealing with stray dogs after township manager Tom Beil said the price of the contract was substantially higher this year.

"The only other option would be to build a kennel here to house the animals," Beil said.

An on-site kennel would be necessary because of a state law that requires municipalities to provide the public access to strays for at least 48 hours after they are picked up, he said.

The humane society is able to provide the public with immediate access to the animals in its care, whereas another local animal rescue organization isn't, Beil said.

Beil estimated that "well over 90 percent" of stray dogs are eventually claimed by their owners.

He said the Lehigh County Humane Society is also a good resource for the township because it offers 24-hour emergency pickup of injured dogs, as well as facilities for their treatment.

"They provide very good service," he said. "But they’re also somewhat expensive."

Board of supervisors chairman Steve Wagner said he could only imagine a township kennel being constructed if some type of partnership with a local nonprofit organization could be arranged.

While the township's contract doesn't include care for stray cats, Beil said that it still maintains a partnership with a local organization called No Nonsense Neutering.

No Nonsense Neutering, which is based in Allentown, operates a trap-neuter-release program for stray or feral cats, and has partnered with a number of local municipalities in recent years.

Beil said that when a resident traps a cat, NNN will pick it up, neuter it and then release it in the area it came from—with the advantage that it can no longer repopulate.

Residents pay a nominal $10 copay, and the township covers the remainder of the cost for each cat, Beil said.

Loaner traps are available from No Nonsense Neutering for a refundable $20 fee.

More information about trap-neuter-release is available on the No Nonsense Neutering website.

Photo: Patch file photo