Police To Get Help On Animal Problem

In the next two weeks, police will hire a part-time officer to assist with animal control, Police Chief Bob Moore said.

The officer will work 19 hours a week at $7.50 per hour.

The Police Department has extra funds for part-time help, Moore said. The City Council approved Moore’s request at its meeting Tuesday night.

Requests for animal control make up “our single highest volume of calls,” he told the council.

Last year Rathdrum police received more than 200 telephone calls regarding animal problems - Twenty-three involving vicious animals.

Police purchased an animal-control vehicle several years ago, but sometimes officers had to put problem animals in their patrol cars.

The number of animal control calls has risen in the past few years, Moore said. Moore hopes the new position will take some pressure off current officers and make citizens aware of Rathdrum’s animal problems.

“We want to do something to let people know they have to keep their dogs behind fences,” he said.