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Council again debates animal control contract

Council again debates animal control contract

Pittsburgh City Council was again ensnared in a debate over animal control today, as some members sought an emergency vote on a euthanization contract while others vehemently fought it.

Councilman Jim Motznik sought to revive and vote finally on a bill that was shelved in June to hire Triangle Pet Control Service of McKees Rocks to euthanize wildlife captured by the city Animal Control Department. The maneuver was unusual because final votes usually occur at council's Tuesday legislative meetings, not its Wednesday committee meetings.

He said a contract extension with the Larimer-based Animal Rescue League, which had been euthanizing wildlife while teaching city workers how to do it in-house, expired around midnight. The city then began taking raccoons, skunks, birds and other wildlife to Triangle Pet, even though there was no contract with the company.

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"That means at any time, Triangle Pet can stop taking our animals," he said. "We're putting the health and safety of our residents in jeopardy."

"If a 77-year-old man has to come down here crying and begging me to get these raccoons out of his house, that's an issue," said Councilwoman Tonya Payne. "You can't leave people without protection. That's insane."

Councilwoman Darlene Harris countered with an e-mail from the Animal Rescue League offering to continue euthanizing wildlife for a few weeks while the city tries to work things out. "As of right now, we don't have a life-threatening problem here," she said.

Mr. Motznik's bid to suspend council rules to allow a final vote on the contract failed on a tie vote with one abstention. The matter could be brought up again next week.

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City Animal Control Division workers, who have lobbied to bring the wild animal euthanization work in-house, said they are under instructions today to take wildlife to Triangle Pet.

In recent months council has spent much of its time debating the handling of lost pets and wildlife, as well as a failed bill to license cats.

First Published: August 1, 2007, 5:30 p.m.

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