Rescuing Starving, Abandonded Animals Left In Foreclosed Homes No Longer Illegal In Gilbert

In Gilbert, Arizona, The Arizona Republic reports:

• Gilbert police and town employees can now rescue abandoned or distressed animals from foreclosed homes. That will be welcome news for the increasing number of cats, dogs and other pets who have been abandoned when their owners let their homes go into foreclosure.

• Until Town Council last week amended its animal control ordinance, town personnel could do nothing about the abandoned pets, even if the animals were in obvious discomfort or pain. "Up until this ordinance, pets that were abandoned or mistreated, we didn't have the authority to treat these animals unless we could locate the owner and have them voluntarily give them up," said Sgt. Mark Marino, a police spokesman.

***

• The number of incidents of abandoned pets has skyrocketed over the past year as police responded to more calls about pets barking or meowing in empty homes.

For more, see Workers now allowed to help deserted pets.