TOOELE, Utah — New changes to the Tooele City Animal Shelter has residents and rescues upset over a recent city decision, with animal advocates saying they were left out of the planning process. However, law enforcement believes it is a matter of public safety.
"It is a big change. That shelter has done phenomenal work and this feels like backtracking like 20 years," said Jessica Vigos, founder of Whiskers Cat Rescue.
On Wednesday, metal gates blocked the entrance to the shelter as the building takes on a different role under new supervision of the Tooele City Police Department.
"We have to have a shelter [where] we can bring these aggressive dogs that bite and attack," explained Lt. Jeremy Hansen with the department.
Aggressive dogs will stay at the shelter, and when animal control brings in other pets where an owner can't be found within five days, those cats and dogs will be handed off.
"We’re trying to partner with as many rescues as we can to try and get avenues for us to get these dogs out and adopted," said Hansen.
Rescues like Whiskers have worked with the shelter in the past and think this decision was made without their input. Vigos says the responsibility shouldn’t be passed off to the rescues.
"They said on the post ,‘Oh, we’re going to rely on the rescues,’ but none of the rescues that I know of were contacted," she said.
Hansen claims the city is finalizing a contract with Golden Bone Inn, a dog boarding business. They’ll will also continue their relationship with the Best Friends Animal Society.
"We have played a supportive role in their facilitation of life-saving programs and, of course, just like all of our shelter partners, this will continue regardless what changes they make," explained Michelle Dosson with Best Friends Animal Society.
Despite some over-capacity shelters considering moves to euthanize pets this year, Dosson said 80% have a no-kill status.
"I don’t believe that we are in any more of a capacity crisis than we’ve ever been before," she added.
Still, shelters are making major change and Vigos believes it's a problem that people can’t foster or adopt its way out of.
"If you have unfixed animals and you’re letting them roam, you are part of the problem of the serious overpopulation of pets that we’re seeing," said Vigos.
According to Hansen, the decision was made by the mayor, the police chief, and the parks and recreation director of the city.
