Problem with dog frustrates Seymour woman

To the Editor:

Could someone explain to me how animal control in Seymour works? Recently I called the Seymour Police Department to report a loose pit bull running around my neighborhood and was informed that animal control was gone for the day. I was directed to call the humane society, which I had already done, and they were closed.

The woman on the other end of the phone said she would leave a note for the dog catcher and let him know what the dog looked like, that it was infected with mange and was running loose.

Meanwhile, I guess I'm just supposed to let this dog defecate in my yard and force my dog to stay indoors?

I later called the humane society to report the dog as well. I was then asked, "So why are you calling us? You need to call animal control." I then informed the humane society that the SPD dispatch had told me to call them. The nice lady at the humane society took the address of the house where the dog lives and listened to my concerns about the mange the dog has. So I later pull up to my house and the neighbor's dog is in my yard again doing its business and pestering my healthy, mange-free dog.

Why is no one concerned that this dog is obviously sick and not being cared for properly? My neighbors and I are tired of cleaning up after it and worried it's infectious.

I know there have been at least four other calls from surrounding neighbors and nothing has been done. I'd like to know why the owners are not being held responsible for their dog? Isn't animal control on the payroll for that reason?

Cara Stroud
Seymour, Ind.