Malden Fixing Dog Pound Water Supply
Malden, Mo. – At Monday’s city council meeting, Councilwoman Donna Prenger challenged the residents and other members regarding the Malden Dog Pound. Acoording to Prenger, the pound is old and in a state of disrepair.
“The water [at the pound] is sandy,” she said and can’t be used to disinfect the animals nor is it good for providing them water. Pranger said “The ASPCA [American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] said they could get the money (for upgrades and renovations) here at no cost to us.”
Pranger believes that there are people “who would volunteer to go out there” and work, she told the council. The pound is currently closed and the city has no humane officer on staff.
Pranger asked, “without a humane officer to collect stray and ferocious animals, what’s the city to do?”
“Without a humane officer we have to make the police department and the code enforcement officer our humane officer,” Mayor Ray Santie said.
Malden Police Department Chief Jarrett Bullock said his officers are always willing to lend a hand with collecting stray animals, but even if his officers become dog catchers, where will these, possibly dangerous, animals go? That question was asked by a couple of Prenger’s peers.
The council asked if it was cheaper to collect the animals and take them to surrounding cities whose pounds are in working order.
Prenger said that option was open, but that many towns’ pounds already are overloaded.
Police Chief Johnny Dennis reported to council that Kennett’s pound was full.
“What we need is a pump and a well,” Mayor Santie said. “And we’ll need a motion to amend the budget” in order to requisition those funds, he explained.
Santie told SEMO TIMES he’s presided over 34 city councils and this issue has reared its head four times during his tenure.
Councilman Jimmy Garris said a 2-inch well and a pump would cost the city approximately $500.
The council, in an unanimous vote, approved amending the budget to allow for the purchase of a pump and the construction of a well to service the defunct pound.
Malden City Treasurer, Stephen Crump, said there are monies in the city budget to hire a humane officer.