Baldwin Borough Police Partner to Save Animals

Lost and stray animals in the have a new "leash" on life beginning this month. Rather than going to a shelter and waiting to be euthanized, found animals are now being placed in foster care.

When his officers approached Chief Michael Scott about introducing a program that prevented stray and lost dogs and cats from being turned over for euthanization, Scott contacted Robert Fragasso.

Fragasso, a Bethel Park resident and proud owner of five dogs and four cats, works with Animal Advocates – a nonprofit, volunteer animal-rescue organization that places Pittsburgh-area animals in foster homes until permanent homes can be found for them.

When a dog or a cat is found, police first check for a tag or a county license to contact its owner. If there is no tag or license, officers use a scanner to check for a microchip in the animal. A microchip can make the process very easy by giving the police department the name of the animal shelter or the veterinarian who implanted it. Using that information, they can then track down the animal's owner.

If this is unsuccessful, police call a volunteer from Animal Advocates. A volunteer then transports the animal to Dr. Mark Mendlowitz, a Borough of Dravosburg veterinarian. Mendlowitz gives the animal a checkup, all necessary vaccines and a behavioral evaluation.

Once the cat or the dog has received a clean bill of health, it is placed in a foster home.

Animal Advocates requires a home visit for anybody interested in adopting an animal to ensure that the pet is going to a safe environment.

The process may seem pretty involved but has been made easier thanks to assistance throughout the community.

Patricia Murphy, who runs Animal Advocates, donated a scanner to the Baldwin Borough Police, and a local pet-supply store donated a transportation crate. Also, Mendlowitz provides his services at-cost, which Animal Advocates covers.

Only one animal has been picked up since the program began this month. That story had a happy ending when the pet's owner showed up at the police station at the same time as an Animal Advocates volunteer.

In addition to extending the lives of lost pets, the program also gives owners more time to track down their four-legged family members.

Fragasso points out that the entire process could be avoided by simple steps taken by pet owners.

"Most people love their animals, but they don't always think about getting the right tagging and licensing," Fragasso said.

Prior to this program, animals found in Baldwin Borough were checked for tags, and if they had none, they were turned over to an animal-control officer contracted by the borough. The animals were kept for two days and, if unclaimed, given a death sentence.

Fragasso hopes that people realize that public asssistance is required for the program to work.

"We are in serious need of foster homes," Fragasso said.

It isn't just Baldwin Borough residents who can volunteer to foster, and it isn't just pets of Baldwin residents who end up at the borough's police station. A lost dog or cat from any neighboring community could easily find itself across municipality borders and being tended to by Baldwin Police.

Fragasso hopes that other local police departments and animal-control contractors will follow in the footsteps of Baldwin Borough and implement this type of program.

"Chief Michael Scott listened to his policemen and women and approached me about doing this," Fragasso said. "In my opinion, most police personnel feel similarly to the Baldwin Police. One way we can better our society is to better how we treat our animals."

Information regarding how to obtain an Allegheny County license for your pet can be found on the county website.

Anyone interested in volunteering, fostering, adopting or donating to Animal Advocates can find information on that organization's website.