by Wesley Harris
“An incredible meeting.”
That’s how Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker described a community meeting that drew 45 parish residents to the Lincoln Parish Library Saturday afternoon to discuss animal control issues.
Lauren DeFreese of 4 Paws Rescue opened the meeting by acknowledging “good things are happening regarding animal control, but there’s more to do.”
DeFreese said the meeting was called to discuss the treatment of animals in the community, specifically stray dogs and cats and the need for a major effort directed at spaying and neutering animals to combat the problem.
DeFreese described some of the situations she has seen in her work with 4 Paws Rescue, including animals being left at trash dumpster sites, including being thrown in the dumpsters, or tied to dumpsters or left in boxes on the side of the road or even in the middle of the road, hoping they will be struck by vehicles.
To illustrate the need for a significant spay and neuter program, DeFreese described a scenario where 40 dogs and 10 cats adopted out of an animal shelter could produce 120 puppies and 75 kittens within a year if the shelter does not require spaying and neutering as a condition of adoption.
It was recommended the Ruston animal shelter follow 4 Paws’ example of requiring spaying or neutering of all adopted animals, a condition not currently required by the City due to lack of a veterinarian on staff.
Mayor Walker provided a brief history of the animal control situation. He noted the City of Ruston decided to build an animal shelter in 2016. 4 Paws recommended a $25,000 study of the animal control issue first.
The study was completed at the City’s expense and some of its policy recommendations adopted.
Walker said the expense of the 2019 tornado that struck Ruston depleted the City’s reserves which delayed construction of the animal shelter on the site of the old airport on South Farmerville Street.
The animal shelter was opened in November 2023 at a cost of $3.8 million to house animals picked up in the city and in unincorporated Lincoln Parish. Walker said the Lincoln Parish Police Jury partnered with the city in the completion of the animal shelter.
Much of the discussion focused on the need for changes in the City’s animal control ordinances which Walker said were currently under review.
Walker said in addition to building an outstanding animal shelter, work to revise ordinances, and maintaining a staff of four animal control officers, the city was open to working with anyone to resolve the stray animal problem.
Also in attendance representing the Lincoln Parish Police Jury were Jurors T. J. Cranford, Logan Hunt, and Dan Lord. The Police Jury hired its own animal control officer earlier this year.
Hunt described a new program funded by the Police Jury to pay for spaying or neutering animals through the issuance of vouchers to parish residents to pay up to $260 for the procedure at selected local veterinarians.
Juror Dan Lord said, “We’ve come together to deal with the issue,” explaining relationships between governmental entities were making successful collaboration possible.
Walker emphasized the point saying, “The City and the Police Jury are working hand-in-hand to deal with the animal control situation in the entire parish.”
All of the officials acknowledged the lack of funding is one of the major obstacles in resolving the problem. One attendee suggested an optional “tax,” or more accurately, a donation, where a resident paying property taxes could include an extra amount with their tax payment to be directed toward animal welfare efforts.
Hunt and Walker recommended a major fundraiser similar to what other local nonprofits have conducted successfully. The project would involve the City of Ruston, 4 Paws, and the Police Jury,. Walker gave an example of possibly using the funds raised for a veterinarian to staff the animal shelter two days a week to provide spay and neuter services.
The idea brought applause from the audience which engaged in animated and passionate discussions throughout the meeting with commentators occasionally talking over one another.
Walker summarized a proposed action plan to study spaying or neutering animals before they leave the animal shelter, exploring a joint fundraiser or the donation tax, and revising the city ordinance which ha some problematic provisions.
“The meeting was incredible,” Walker told the Lincoln Parish Journal after the two-hour session ended. “For the first time ever all of us were together in the same room with the same objective. We are going to solve this problem.”
