Loose pet problem in Salmon

LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) - As we were working on the Lemhi County Humane Society story, many people in Salmon mentioned another problem to us.

The shelter was returning pets to their irresponsible owners more frequently. This has resulted in more loose dogs and cats roaming the streets.

One of the citizens told us she has almost ran over an animal multiple times in the last few months. So, we decided to reach out to city officials to see how much of an issue this really is.

It turns out they do not have an animal control officer anymore. They lost the position due to budget cuts a couple of years ago. Now, the job falls in the hands of the Salmon Police Department.

Lieutenant Stratton told us their officers are doing their best, but they say it still isn't enough.

"There's always dogs running around. So, you know, it's a constant issue. You know, people we have a leash law in salmon and a lot of folks, you know, they don't adhere to that. And a dog that's going to walk about. These people don't know the dogs and dogs don't know the people. And and and some people overreact and the dog looks at the person as a threat.  And the person thinks that the dog is a threat and that how we get people that get bit."

Lieutenant Stratton says they typically receive a call relating to animal abuse or stray animals every other day. They are working on providing more citations to those owners who let their animals free across the town. That way, they hope they can keep the streets more clear.