Ordinance change expected to boost B.R. pet adoptions

Recent changes to the city-parish stray animal ordinance are expected to boost the number of adoptions, says a local nonprofit responsible for managing the EBR Animal Shelter. The Companion Animal Alliance can now offer unidentified dogs for adoption after three days instead of six, and unidentified cats after three days instead of four. Animals with identification, such as microchips or collars with tags, will be held for five days before they’re available for adoption. The Metro Council approved the ordinance at its Jan. 25 meeting. “The changes by the council provide good balance, preserving the rights of animal owners while allowing our nonprofit to move more quickly to find homes for pets that aren’t claimed,” says Debra Pearson, director of Companion Animal Alliance. CAA hosts dog and cat adoptions daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the shelter at 2680 Progress Road. Offsite events are also held on weekends at sites such as the Mall of Louisiana, Orvis at Perkins Rowe, the Arts Market and LSU lakes. Since taking over the animal shelter in August 2011, CAA says it has tripled the percentage of shelter animals being saved to more than 66%.