THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

When a stray dog or cat is brought into the North Little Rock Animal Shelter from outside the city limits, a green tag will distinguish it from those brought in from within the city.

“The county ones go down first before the North Little Rock dogs and cats,” Billy Grace, North Little Rock’s Animal Control director, said of having to euthanize those that aren’t adoptable as pets and aren’t claimed by an owner within a few days.

In 2009, North Little Rock’s animal shelter in Burns Park took in 1,863 dogs and 1,148 cats from North Little Rock, Grace said. Another 656 dogs and 116 cats were brought in from the county, for a total of 3,783 animals. (more…)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BESSEMER, Ala. — The Bessemer City Council has turned down $2,000 worth of pet food a bingo operator attempted to donate to the city’s animal shelter.

Robert White, operator of the Anchor Club for Knights of Columbus Council 2631, said he heard the city’s animal shelter was in need of food. White said he spent $2,000 of the proceeds from his electronic charity bingo operation on bags of food for the cats and dogs at the shelter. (more…)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Recent flash flooding from heavy rains in Louisville that took the lives of nearly a dozen animals at the city’s animal shelter has prompted deep discounts as officials seek new homes for the surviving pets.

The flooding caused hundreds of animals to be evacuated from the shelter and temporarily housed at the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center.

Through Saturday the Metro Animal Services shelter is offering 30 percent off fees for animals who were affected by the flooding last week. Also people who volunteered or donated to the shelter since the flood is eligible for a 20 percent discount, meaning some pet adoptions could be discounted up to 50 percent.

Spokesman Jackie Gulbe (GULL-bee) says the shelter is trying to adopt as many animals as possible this weekend, with a goal of 100 by Saturday.

THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

Dermott’s animal control officer did not feed or water dogs in the city’s animal shelter for nearly a week, causing three to die and one to eat the carcass of another, the director of the Humane Society of Southeast Arkansas describes in a criminal complaint.

The complaint, signed Tuesday by Humane Society of Southeast Arkansas Director Ruby Burton, accuses Travis Cessor and Dermott Mayor Floyd Gray of animal cruelty by not caring for the dogs from Sept. 3-8. (more…)

THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Katie Popovich recently accompanied her boyfriend to a Chicago animal shelter in search of a dog. When a beagle-border collie mix immediately nuzzled against them, they were smitten.

But the 22-year-olds received a considerably chillier response from the human behind the counter. “It seemed like we were instantly thrown into this category that we were just kids and not responsible,” she said, adding that they are now talking with breeders. (more…)