FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Scott Trebatoski, Lee County Animal Services
               (239) 432-2090 ext. 230

FORT MYERS ANIMAL CONTROL SWEEP RESULTS IN CITATIONS/IMPOUNDMENTS/EDUCATION

FORT MYERS, Fla. (October 15, 2003) - Lee County Animal Services, with the assistance of the Fort Myers Police Department, conducted a special enforcement sweep this morning in the City of Fort Myers in the neighborhoods surrounding Harlem Lake.

The sweep resulted in the following actions:

• Citizen Contacts 25
• Warnings 34
• Citations 3
• Impound 6
• Owner Release 4
• Field Return to Owner 2
• At large not-caught 6
• Rescue/Return 7

While citations are issued during these sweeps, the majority of problems are handled as an opportunity to educate owners about responsible pet ownership and only verbal warnings are given.

The sweep involves using the entire available fleet of vehicles and staff of animal control officers to saturate an area for a couple of hours.

Arrangements are being made for a follow-up sweep through the same area in several weeks. This is intended to provide violators a chance to correct problems identified in the first sweep.

These sweeps are part of Animal Services' continuing process of enforcement and are scheduled periodically in various areas of the county.

Lee County Animal Services provides animal control services throughout Lee County and operates an animal shelter to house stray and abandoned domestic animals. It also administers low-cost spay and neuter programs, educational initiatives, Rabies and bite case control programs, and humane euthanasia when appropriate. It employs 37 and has an annual operating budget of $2.7 million.