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Animal Services - continued <br />• Sustain in -house sterilization services for adoptable animals by focusing on quality and <br />maintaining hourly efficiency. <br />• Continue infectious disease control through preventative health care and examinations to <br />ensure "herd health" for the benefit of pet owners and adopters. <br />Budget Highlights <br />• The FY 2013 -14 Commissioner Approved Budget includes a new Administrative Assistant I <br />position budgeted to start January 1, 2014 (Salary & Benefits and Capital Outlay of $23,381) <br />with offsetting revenues of $6,300 from Spay /Neuter Fund. This position will provide daily <br />management of the volunteer program (currently over 125 volunteers donating over 800 <br />hours of volunteer time), and assisting with additional programs related to the County's <br />Community Spay /Neuter program, as well as the co- location program for pets in disaster <br />sheltering. <br />• Increase microchipping of pets by offering microchips at four rabies clinics ($3,625). <br />Animal Services: Animal Control & Protection Division <br />Major Services <br />• General Field Service <br />• Respond to service requests in a timely manner, based upon their priority, working <br />with residents to achieve compliance and enforcing animal laws. <br />• Impound and /or confiscate animals running at large, surrendered by their owner, <br />behaving aggressively, and neglected or treated inhumanely. <br />• Attempt to identify stray or lost animals and return to their owners unless there is a <br />compelling reason to impound the animal. <br />• Manage permits for kennels and pet shops in accordance with the county's animal <br />control ordinance. <br />• Confer with staff attorney and then coordinate with District Attorney regarding <br />criminal matters. <br />• Public Health and Safety <br />o Investigate animal bites and rabies exposures and implement proper public health <br />protocols, e.g., testing and quarantines <br />o Review reported bites and aggressive incidents, deem dogs dangerous or vicious, <br />and make available an appeal hearing pursuant to the requirements of NCGS. <br />o Coordinate with the Health Director as needed and also with county Communicable <br />Disease Nurses who are responsible for human risk assessment and advice. <br />• Animal Protection <br />o Investigate animal neglect and cruelty complaints and work with animal owners to <br />achieve compliance with legal requirements. <br />o Seize animals for their protection when necessary and institute appropriate legal <br />action regarding their custody as well as criminal action. <br />.,V <br />