By LEONARD GRAY / L’Observateur / June 12, 1999

LAPLACE – A New Orleans-based animal protection group is urging St. Johnthe Baptist Parish to fast-track a new, much larger animal shelter.

LISA (League in Support of Animals) recently outlined its analysis of the current shelter, located at 124 Water Plant Road, LaPlace, for the St. JohnParish Council and Parish President Arnold Labat.

“We’re just trying to weigh in as a statewide animal protection group,” Jeff Dorson, executive director of LISA said. “Usually, we get action. Inthis case, we’ve never gotten a response.”The matter has been before the St. John Parish Council. However, no actionhas been taken until architectural plans are completed and the council is willing to go out for bids.

“We can only afford so much,” Labat said Monday. “If the council OKs itand if we’ve got the bucks, we can build it.”He added the parish already has an eight-acre site near St. John Airport inReserve for the facility.

At the council’s Feb. 9 meeting, councilmen refused to accept the donationof a 14-by-40-foot trailer from Farol Clement of Shell/Motiva in Norco, because the donation was explicitly meant for the animal shelter.

Animal Control Board member Kay Durr then came to the Feb. 23 meetingto ask the council to reconsider, but no council member would make the necessary motion.

Labat said a “guesstimation” of the construction cost would be $150,000 – money the parish doesn’t have at hand for this purpose.

Several weeks ago, according to Dorson, LISA inspected the St. Johnshelter and told the parish government the facility “is no longer adequate for the growing needs of the parish.”The report added that the old trailer currently used to house puppies, kittens and cats is also in desperate need of repair.

Three major problems were outlined by LISA: The size of the shelter is “grossly inadequate to meet the growing needs of the parish.” According to national surveys, an animal shelter shouldexpect to house a number of animals equal to 4 percent of the population it serves. With St. John’s current population at 45,000, an estimated1,800 pets is expected to be housed there to meet the current local need.

The present St. John shelter dates back more than 25 years and includes acement-block, covered kennel and a 14-by-70-foot trailer for cats and office space. The program presents handles 2,000 animals per year with a$90,000 annual budget.

The existing facility is “run down and rapidly deteriorating.” The 1970-era building is cracked and unsanitary. Part of the trailer on site alsodoubles as the housing for puppies and kittens.

A stepped-up program to improve the rate of spaying and neutering could stem the tide of unwanted pets.

Eight years ago the St. John Humane Society took over operation of theshelter under the not-for-pay direction of Heidi Hogan.

The society provides a host of services, including picking up and housing orphaned, lost and abused animals; enforcing state and local rabies vaccination programs; housing and isolating dangerous and rabid dogs; enforcing local and state animal welfare ordinances; educating the public on legal pet ownership responsibilities; instituting low-cost, high-volume sterilization initiatives; investigating cases of animal cruelty, including making court appearances for prosecution of these cases; responding to nuisance calls; and training and supervising volunteers.

LISA is a statewide, nonprofit organization which also monitors more than 100 animal control shelters across Louisiana, making inspections and forwarding reports to the proper authorities.

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