Wasilla keeps Houston busy

WASILLA -- The city of Houston has so far handled almost 100 animal control calls for its new employer, Wasilla. The verdict -- cats and people are Wasilla's biggest animal control problems.

Houston Deputy Clerk Cat Bullington this week presented the Wasilla City Council with a report of activities for the past several months since Houston has taken over as Wasilla's newest animal control provider. For the month of August, for example, Houston responded to 37 Wasilla calls. During that same time, 17 animals were taken into custody.

"There's a big problem with cats here in Wasilla … We get a lot of cats," Bullington told the city council. She said one call to Wasilla can result in as many as nine felines being taken into custody. "This last week we went through at least a dozen." She said primarily the only ones they are unable to adopt out are feral cats, which have not been raised by humans and so are difficult to place in homes.

At the same time, Bullington said Houston has been besieged by Wasilla calls that aren't as much about animals as they are about people problems -- feuding neighbors or others who are quarreling over an animal issue.

"The problems are much different here," she said of Wasilla compared to Houston. "But it all goes back to the owners. That's our main stance."

As a part of her report, Bullington presented the council with a chart with the numbers of each kind of call. For example, since Houston took over Wasilla's animal control in July, it has collected 57 Wasilla animals. Twenty-nine of those have been rescued by shelters or pet stores. Four were adopted to permanent homes, and a dozen were claimed by their owners. Six Wasilla animals were euthanized, while five were already deceased when animal control was called to the scene.

Houston also gave out two citations and 23 warnings during the past few months, as well as responding to 12 reports of abandoned or neglected animals, eight bites and two attacks.

The Wasilla City Council applauded Houston for both its service as well as its detailed report, which had been a sticking point between Wasilla and its previous animal control contractor, the Mat-Su Borough.

"That report was a far cry, towards the better, from anything we've ever seen," Councilman Rob Sande told Bullington.

Councilwoman Diana Straub also thanked the city of Houston for its efforts, saying she knew it has been a great deal of work.

Houston officials admit the transition has been challenging. In addition to learning how to respond to different kinds of calls, there is the simple fact that taking on Wasilla's animal control problems has quadrupled Houston's work load. When Houston first took over the contract with Wasilla, in July, part of the effort was simply defining city limits and determining where Houston or the borough would respond to animal control calls.

During the past months, these issues have been largely settled, Bullington said. But there are still hurdles to clear.

"At this time the problems that face us is with equipment and boarding," Bullington wrote in her report.

Bullington said Houston has minimized the number of different boarding facilities it uses to house animals and now is using Plettner Kennel for about 95 percent of its boarding. The kennel has installed new equipment designed to house cats and small canines, as well as a new dog run and housing facility for larger dogs, according to the report.

Also during her report, Bullington said Houston has begun to deal with an ongoing problem with a Wasilla pet store. She said they have had numerous complaints from people who say the conditions for the animals are substandard and that kittens sold at the store have reportedly suffered from feline leukemia.

However, Bullington said Houston can do little because of the lack of ordinances on Wasilla's books.

"Our hands are tied," she said. She encouraged the city council to consider more specific laws directed at animal businesses.

Finally in her report, Bullington said the Houston Animal Control and Regulation Board is seeking two new members.

"We would like to see two Wasilla residents take up these positions," Bullington told the city council. "Their input would be great."

Houston agreed in July to become Wasilla's animal control provider for $26,000 per year. Wasilla's previous contractor, the Mat-Su Borough, had proposed upping Wasilla's annual animal control bill from $26,000 to $150,000 and adding a full-time animal control patrol officer. Later that number was dropped to $70,000, but neither Wasilla's city council nor mayor were sold.