Paso Robles leads county in number of strays, says animal services
Left: Adoptable Cassidy (A306225), a two-year-old Great Pyrenees, was found near Whispering Oak Way in Paso Robles on Feb. 27. Right: Siberian husky Ham (A294687) is a stray from Paso Robles. He is available for adoption and has been at the shelter for over ten months.
Many stray pets not being reclaimed by their owners
– For the past six years, the Paso Robles area has been the source of more stray animals than any of the six other incorporated cities that make up San Luis Obispo county. Many of these strays are not being reclaimed by their owners.
SLO Animal Services, located off Highway 1, is a county shelter that provides services for Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Grover Beach, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo.
As of today, roughly 20 percent of the stray animals currently at SLO Animal Services are found in Paso Robles. Some of them have been at the shelter for more than six months and are still waiting to be taken home.
SLO Animal Services Shelter Supervisor Shannon Sinclair shared suggestions on how to address the issue.
“The biggest thing would be to make sure your pet is microchipped, and that the registration is current,” Sinclair said. “Also, making sure your animal is spayed or neutered which prevents the tendency of wanting to roam and unneeded puppies when they do get it out.”
When a stray comes in with a microchip and/or up-to-date registration, Animal Services can directly contact the owner with the information provided from the registration or chip.
Furthermore, the SLO Animal Services website has an array of resources designed to help owners reunite with their lost pets.
If an owner is missing their pet, the first step is to fill out a lost animal report. If an animal comes to the shelter that matches the description, the owner will be notified.
Animals found as strays can also be seen on the website’s found animals page, and owners can hear a recording with the descriptions of all animals brought to the shelter in the past 24 hours by calling the shelter at (805) 781-4400 and dialing five.
If an owner finds that their lost pet is at SLO Animal Services, they can redeem the animal by providing proof that it is their pet. This could be from their name matching the name on the animal’s registration, or photos with the animal proving ownership.
Animals brought in as strays are put on stray hold for five business days before they become available for adoption to the general public.
For more information on redemption policies, adoption information, intake data, or services offered— visit SLO Animal Services’ website or call (805) 781-4400.
-By Bella Slosberg
