Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animals. Show all posts

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Raccoon peek-a-boo.  Photo by Sonya Reasor.

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Sky Nursery goes batty on Saturday, October 16

Monday, October 11, 2010

Saturday, October 16, 11 am - 12 noon
Bring Back the Bats!

They fly in the dark and hang by their toes. Wanna learn more? Sky Nursery knows! 

Saturday at 11, Barb Ogaard from Bats Northwest returns to Sky Nursery to teach you the deep, dark secrets of these furry little flyers and… she'll have REAL LIVE BATS! 

Space is limited for this popular seminar, so come early for a seat. This Sky Nursery event is family-fun…and free, but donations may be given to Bats Northwest. 

Sky Nursery,18528 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline 98133, 206-546-4851.

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WAGS dog show at the Farmers' Market

Tails were wagging at the W.A.G.S. dog fashion show at Lake Forest Park on September 27. High stylin' pups and their owners showed their form on stage, displayed amazing talent (sit, stay, walk) and generally had a good time for a good cause.

The events were sponsored by WAGS "Working with Animals" to generate support for the Pet Partners program at Seattle Children's Hospital.

All photo by Steven H. Robinson.

Welcome to W.A.G.S.
Contestants line up with their owners
Melanie Granfors of Shoreline Fire and Greg McKinney, Shoreline East Storefront

Seattle Pug Rescue
Small Dogs
Frou-frou dogs
Big dogs

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Animal control removes dog from Shoreline home

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

King County Animal Control Officers removed Lucky the dog from his home on Wednesday morning around 10:00 a.m. after he was voluntarily surrendered by his owner.


Regional Animal Services acted on a tip when neighbors called the pet hotline on Thursday, and officers responded by visiting the home for the first time that same afternoon. After posting notices at the home requesting the owners contact Regional Animal Services and not receiving a response, officers applied for a search warrant to gain access to the property, and received the warrant around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon. Midday on Tuesday, the owner contacted field officers to begin a conversation about possibly surrendering the dog. The dog was surrendered Wednesday morning and taken to the Kent Animal Shelter where he will receive a full veterinary exam.


This case is one of 36 active cruelty/neglect investigations open in King County at the moment, and officers are responding to an additional 170 animal-related calls for assistance from the public. Pet licensing revenue partially pays for Regional Animal Services in King County, and when residents purchase a pet license, they contribute to funds that pay for cruelty and neglect investigations such as this.

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Dog, locked in Shoreline basement, could soon be rescued

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

KING5.com has a story about a Shoreline woman who locked her dog in the basement and has been gone for over two months.  A man comes by every few days and puts food inside the door but reportedly never cleans the dog's area or takes it outside.


Christine Lange of Animal Control said if negotiations with the dog's owner do not result in the dog voluntarily being placed with a rescue group, Animal Control is prepared to use the search warrant to remove him.

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Baby Harbor Seal at Richmond Beach

Wednesday, September 22, 2010


Baby Harbor Seal on Richmond Beach.  Photo by Allan Bain.
From Tracy Tallman

Allan Bain, Richmond Beach resident and dog-walker, stumbled upon a baby Harbor Seal at Richmond Beach on Tuesday, September 21, and gave me a call. After digging around a bit on the internet, I found the “Northwest Marine Mammal Stranding Network” online. A call to their NW Regional Office in Seattle at 206-526-6733 (message machine) resulted in a quick return call from “Kristin” who called Allan for an exact location of the baby seal.  She then dispatched the Shoreline Parks Department to put a fence around the baby. 

Babies are left on the beach by their mothers and the mother will not retrieve the baby if it has been touched by humans or dogs, hence the protective fence.

So, to all you dog-walkers and beach-strollers, please put 206-526-6733 in your cell phone and contact Kristin for a quick response and maybe save a baby seal on your outing.

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Shoreline and LFP Residents: License your pets now or face fines

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Amnesty period expires soon for residents to license their pets.
No-tolerance policy for unlicensed pets goes into effect October 1; fines will follow

Residents in Shoreline and Lake Forest Park have just 14 days left to take advantage of an amnesty period for unlicensed pets before they face a no-tolerance fine. As part of the new Regional Animal Services model for animal control in King County, residents were given a 90 day amnesty period to license their pets without facing a fine.  

The amnesty period expires at the end of the day on September 30, and starting Friday, October 1, residents who have unlicensed cats or dogs face a fine of $125.00 for spayed or neutered pets, and up to $250.00 for an unaltered pet.

Under the new model that took effect July 1, the cost for pet licenses for spayed or neutered animals remained unchanged at $30.00, and the price for unaltered pets was reduced to $60.00 (previously $90.00).
“The amnesty period is a great opportunity for residents to comply with the law, protect their pets with a license, and avoid a potential fine,” said Regional Animal Services Manager Ken Nakatsu. “After October 1, we have to comply with the code adopted by King County and 27 contracting cities and issue a fine if you are caught without a pet license. Now is the time to prevent that risk and gain the benefits of a pet license.”
Residents can purchase pet licenses in person at over 100 locations in King County, including many QFC grocery stores, and online. Visit the King County website for a list of sales locations or to purchase or renew a license online. Pet licenses are renewed annually and are good for one year from the date of purchase.

Under the new Regional Animal Services model, discounts are available for disabled and senior residents, as well as for those with juvenile pets up to 6 months old. All dogs and cats over 8 weeks of age in unincorporated King County and contracting cities must be licensed.

King County Pet licenses come with many benefits including:
  • The first time your pet is found, King County will attempt to skip the shelter and deliver the pet to your home.
  • Licensed pets have a longer stray hold at the shelter to give residents a chance to locate a lost pet before it is made available for adoption.
  • The Vacation Pet Alert Program allows residents to provide contact information for a pet’s caretaker while they are away so that King County will have the correct contact information if something happens while the owner cannot be reached.
  • Pet license fees fund programs that help thousands of homeless animals in King County find new homes each year, and pay for services such as spay/neuter programs.
  • Licensed missing pets are found faster by reporting them to Regional Animal Services. If a resident finds a stray pet wearing a pet license, they simply need to call the phone number on the license to get contact information for the owner, even after business hours.

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Shoreline animal control website

Thursday, July 15, 2010

The City of Shoreline has a webpage with current information about Animal Control for City residents. See our previous story about Regional Animal Services.

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Regional Animal Services in effect July 1

Thursday, July 8, 2010


On July 1, residents in unincorporated King County and 27 contracting cities, including Shoreline and Lake Forest Park, have a new Regional Animal Services model to handle animal control and licensing services.

King County Executive Dow Constantine was joined by mayors from the cities of Mercer Island, Redmond, Shoreline and Lake Forest Park to ceremonially sign the service contracts for each city.

“We are very pleased with the collaborative effort between the cities and the county. The City-County Workgroup completed some very delicate negotiations to resolve some potentially contentious issues,” said Lake Forest Park Mayor David Hutchinson. “It is a great example of how, by working together, we can achieve a more effective and efficient animal control program for all of the residents of the county.”

Under the new model, King County will be divided into four animal control districts, each staffed by at least one animal control officer, and cities will enjoy significant economies of scale.

The cost for pet licenses for spayed animals will remain unchanged at $30 and will be reduced to $60 for an unaltered pet (previously $90).  Seniors 65 and older can license a pet for $15 with proof the pet has been spayed/neutered.  

The new model changes King County Code to institute a no-tolerance fine for unlicensed pets in the county, with fines ranging from $125 for a spayed or neutered pet to $250 for an unaltered pet. 

As part of the transition to the new model, residents will have a 90 day amnesty period from July 1 to October 1 to purchase a license for unlicensed pets without facing a fine. Residents can purchase pet licenses in person at City Hall as well as online. Visit the King County webpage for a list of other sales locations or to purchase or renew a license online.

Under the new Regional Animal Services model, there are a number of discounts for disabled and senior residents, as well as for those with juvenile pets up to 6 months old. All dogs and cats over 8 weeks of age must be licensed.

King County Pet licenses come with many benefits including:

  • The first time your pet is found, King County will attempt to skip the shelter and deliver the pet to your home.
  • Licensed pets have a longer stray hold at the shelter to give residents a chance to locate a lost pet before it is made available for adoption.
  • The Vacation Pet Alert Program allows residents to provide contact information for a pet’s caretaker while they are away so that King County will have the correct contact information if something happens while the owner cannot be reached.
  • Pet license fees fund programs that help thousands of homeless animals in King County find new homes each year, and pay for services such as spay/neuter programs.
  • Licensed missing pets are found faster by reporting them to Regional Animal Services. If a resident finds a stray pet wearing a pet license, they simply need to call the phone number on the license to get contact information for the owner, even after business hours.

Shoreline and Lake Forest Park have contracted with PAWS in Lynnwood for shelter services.

Many of the 27 participating cities signed a two and a half year contract. Shoreline's goal is to take animal control in-house, but staff and police felt that the other option of six months only was not enough time to get a program set up, hire staff, find facilities and equipment and the two and a half year contract would be more than enough time.

For more information, visit the King County website

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County Council approves new animal services model

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

The King County Council recently approved the creation of a collaborative regional animal services program that spreads the cost of animal control, sheltering and licensing between 27 suburban cities and King County’s unincorporated communities.

“This is a sustainable model that makes sense for the County and cities, and is in the best interests of the animals in our care,” said Council Chair Bob Ferguson. “I commend Executive Constantine for his leadership on this complex issue.”

“This legislation is a fair and equitable solution and the King County Council did the right thing by approving it today,” said Lake Forest Park Mayor Dave Hutchinson. The Lake Forest Park City Council recently passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Hutchinson to sign an agreement with King County for animal control services.

The Shoreline City Council will address whether to continue its animal services contract with King County at its June 28 council meeting.

The agreement divides the County into four geographical areas for control services:
  • Bothell, Carnation, Duvall, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Redmond, Sammamish, Shoreline, and Woodinville.
  • Beaux Arts, Bellevue, Clyde Hill, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Newcastle, North Bend, Snoqualmie, and Yarrow Point.
  • Kent, SeaTac, and Tukwila.
  • Auburn, Black Diamond, Covington, Enumclaw, and Maple Valley.

As the local government provider, King County will continue to be responsible for the provision of services in the unincorporated areas of the county.

Each region will have a dedicated field officer, and will be overseen by a field sergeant. Additional assistance would be provided by an animal cruelty sergeant to investigate cruelty cases and two officers on call after regular service hours for emergency response.

The adopted legislation also approves an interlocal agreement between cities and King County. Twenty-seven cities have signed letters of intent to adopt the agreement, which defines services, expenditures, cost allocation methodologies and establishes a city-county committee to pursue innovative service improvements and cost reductions.

Cities can choose either a 6-month contract, which ends in December 2010, or a contract that expires in December 2012. The current contracts with the cities expire June 30, 2010. The interlocal agreement allows for continuity of services over the length of the contract.

The legislation also includes revenue generating opportunities that involve the public and regional businesses:

  • It encourages citizen involvement with its call for the creation of an Animal Bequest Fund, which will provide an avenue for county residents to support animal services through donations. The fund could only be used for animal services and would be managed by the director of the Department of Executive Services.

  • It also authorizes the Director of the Department of Executive Services to explore entrepreneurial opportunities. The County will investigate opportunities to enter into concession, advertising, sponsorship, and naming rights agreements with vendors to sell animal-related products and services. Proceeds would be applied to regional animal services.

You can read the legislation here (type in “2010-0325,” “2010-0326” or “2010-0327”). 

--From the office of King County Council Chair Bob Ferguson (representing Shoreline & LFP)
 

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Regional animal control services under consideration: updated

Sunday, June 6, 2010


Updated and corrected information from the City of Shoreline June 6

The new shelter for Shoreline animals is PAWS, 15305 4th Ave W, Lynnwood. Website. 425-787-2500, Since May 1 they have been accepting owner-surrendered animals from Shoreline.  Starting June 1, they accept stray animals from residents.  As of July 1, stray animals will be accepted from animal control. For more info, contact the City of Shoreline 206-801-2700.

Lake Forest Park is considering their options. Each City contracts separately for services. 

Earlier this year, King County informed the 34 suburban cities it served that it would no longer be providing animal control services. Seattle has its own animal services and shelter. The original time line for termination of county services was short and would have required cities to have animal shelter, animal control officer, and licensing operations, or contracts for those services, up and running in an unrealistic period of time. 

The feedback from many cities in the county was that they were interested in looking at alternatives for how these services could be provided, including a regional approach with King County. The King County Council extended the timeframe for the termination of current cities contracts until June 30, providing cities and the county the time necessary to develop a proposed regional model for animal control services.


At the Shoreline City Council’s April 26 meeting, Shoreline staff presented three options for how animal control services could be provided, including the King County regional model, a north King County sub-regional model, and bringing animal control services in-house. 

In all three of these service options, staff stated that Shoreline would contract with PAWS in Lynnwood for shelter services. Under the current county contract, animals are taken to the county-operated shelters in Bellevue and Kent.

Twenty-seven of the 34 original contracting cities, including Lake Forest Park and Shoreline, have indicated interest in participating in the regional model through interlocal agreements lasting two-and-a-half years. If a critical mass of those cities follow through to sign contracts and the County Council approves, the new Regional Animal Services of King County would be implemented starting July 1.

Lake Forest Park city council will be reviewing the contract at their June 10 meeting and the Shoreline City Council will be reviewing the interlocal agreement on June 28. Contracts must be in place by June 30. The full County Council is scheduled to hold public hearings on the regional animal services model on June 14 and 21, with potential action set for June 21 and implementation on July 1.

One of the consequences of the change is that the county will be very aggressive about making sure that all animals are licensed and there will be penalties for those who are not. The county would also like to enter into concession agreements with vendors to sell animal-related products and services, and to sell advertising, sponsorship and naming rights for the benefit of regional animal services.

Animal licenses are sold at both Shoreline and Lake Forest Park city halls. Senior citizens can purchase a reduced-cost, lifetime license for each pet.

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Rat issues? Use caution with poisons!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

by Kristina Kelley


When temperatures get cold, rodents (not unlike any other animal) search out warmer areas to nest. Garages, crawl spaces, walls and vehicle engine compartments are ideal locations as they are warm, dry, and void of predators. Rodents by nature chew to file their teeth and can cause significant damage to wiring, insulation, storages boxes, and anything made of rubber.

If you need to get rid of an existing rodent problem, professional exterminators can help in severe cases. Wildlife agencies recommend ammonia-soaked rags which will deter most mammals from an area such as a crawl space. Poison is an option, but many people do not know that rodenticides (rat poison) can kill a pet far more easily than one might think.

Today’s rodenticides do not discriminate and can attract all mammals including dogs, cats, rabbits and squirrels, as well as birds. Some poison available is enhanced with peanut butter, molasses and sugar to further attract animals. If a pet consumes poison there may not be any symptoms for a week or more. Rodenticides do not cause “sick” symptoms, they cause internal hemorrhaging and the problem can be difficult for a veterinarian to diagnose. If a cat catches a mouse that has been weakened by poison, the same danger applies. Most rodenticides have green dye in them. Fecal matter that is bright green in color is an indicator that the animal has been poisoned.
The least expensive and most effective way to get rid of rodents is to trap them or deter them. Spring loaded traps and boxes work well and can be re-used. Disposing of a carcass is not particularly appealing, but at least it will be the carcass you are after, not a curious bystander who is otherwise innocent. If you choose not to kill the offender, car manufacturer research has found Tapatillo sauce repels rodents better than any other product tested. Peppermint oil and Downy sheets will also do the same.

While rodents are a part of the world we live in, there are several things one can do to reduce the likelihood of having one live in your home or car. Do not leave food of any kind in your car – this includes dog treats. Keep your trash well contained and the area free of debris and hiding places. Keep your garage free of clutter and block small entrances. Pet food and grain products can attract rodents from far away so be sure they are stored as air-tight as possible. Check under your hood and around your home periodically and look for droppings. If you see them, it is time to re-assess your preventive measures.


Photos by asplosh, david55king, qwrrty

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