Animal Shelter - Project Update Washington Parish
September 10, 2013
Recently the Parish Administration met with the Warden Tanner of Rayburn Correctional Facility to discuss the construction of a new animal shelter. As you know the shelter is scheduled to be built on the grounds of the prison by utilizing inmate labor.
The grant that we have in hand is dedicated for the purchase of the materials only; therefore the cooperation from the warden and the La. Prison system as a whole represents an integral part of a successful building program; availability of inmate labor and prison supervisory staff is currently in the planning stages.
In order to stay within the grant dollars ($98,000), we will need all the help we can get just to construct the building. It appears at this time that other sources are needed to make this construction successful and the overall program for sheltering animals viable.
We have contacted a person who is familiar with animal shelters in other parishes. Our goal is to visit other facilities in parishes of similar size and animal sheltering demands to judge whether the current resources that are available to us will satisfy anticipated needs.
Our mission needs to be much broader than building a block and mortar building. An animal control and care program must be written and established; additional funding will be necessary to establish a sustainable sheltering facility.
The Laws* of the State of Louisiana mandate that it is our responsibility to establish and use our resources to make the long term changes for animals that local organizations simply cannot.
*LA R.S. 3:2773 requires that "the sheriff, constable, or other police officers of any parish, ward, or municipality shall seize any dog found unaccompanied by its owner or keeper and running at large on any road, street, or other public place, or trespassing on any premises other than the premises of the owner."
*LA R.S. 3:2774 requires that "each parish shall provide suitable shelters or facilities for dogs seized under the provisions of this Part".
Currently we are working with limited resources to move this program forward.
Sincerely,
Leo Lucchesi, Director
Department of Public Works
Floodplain Administrator
Washington Parish Government
909 Pearl Street
Franklinton, La. 70438
985-839-7825
Fax 985-839-7862
llucchesi@wpgov.org
