County Creates Animal Protection Board

During its meeting Tuesday, July 19, county council established the Animal Protection Board of Delaware County and appointed its eight members.

The board will oversee a new animal control facility that will be built in Darby Township to handle stray animals, which under state law is the responsibility of the state and municipalities.

Members of the board include representatives from first- and second-class townships, a police representative and a union representative.

The new facility is expected to open on January 1, 2012.

In July 2010 the Delaware County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announced that it would no longer accept stray animals from municipalities as of July 1, 2011.

However, an extension of services was agreed upon in which the county will help individual municipalities pay the SPCA a per-animal fee to continue to manage the strays until a new facility is built.