The North Royalton Animal Shelter is a division of the North Royalton Police Department and is located at 11675 Royalton Road. George Stuart is the Senior Animal Control Officer. He and two employees work in the Animal Control Division.
According to the City’s website, the Animal Control Division specializes “in animal care and control. Animal Control duties and responsibilities include: enforce all City/State animal laws; assist police with all situations pertaining to, or dealing with, animals; conduct animal complaint investigations; handle animal bite reports and rabies quarantine enforcement; capture and remove stray animals from streets for the safety of the animals and protection of residents; oversee adoption program and care for animals at Animal Control; manage injured/sick wildlife calls; advise and assist residents with nuisance wildlife issues; assist residents with lost or found animals; remove dead wild animals; educate residents regarding native wild animals and domestic animal requirements and ordinances.”
Last year, the Animal Control Department received between 2,000 and 2,600 calls and between 280 and 350 contacts from Dispatch. On average, more than 1,000 times Animal Control was called out and between 360 and 450 walk-ins were reported. Eight dog bite reports were completed and 372 complaints were received. They impounded 174 domestic animals and 247 wild animals. Of the domestic animals impounded, 75 were returned to the owner and ten were adopted into new homes. They picked up 491 small dead animals and 163 dead deer. They issued seven Running at Large citations, one Rabies Tag Required citation and one License Required citation. The complaints can range from barking dogs to cruelty investigations.
Animal Control also responds to Police emergencies when needed. This can be house fires with animals inside the home. Arrested drunk drivers with animals inside a vehicle. Vehicle accidents involving animals. Warrants served with animals inside a home, or deceased residents with animals inside a home. Animal Control responds to these calls when needed by Police. “We secure the animals at our facility until the owner or family members can retrieve the animal(s). We’ve spent over 30 years perfecting our Animal Control services,” said Stuart. “As the population has grown in North Royalton, so has the demands on Animal Control.”
To report a lost or found pet, residents can fill in a report on the City’s website, www.northroyalton.org. Click on the Departments tab, then Animal Control. The free service will help alert the community. According to the website, “messages will be posted on the City’s web site. If possible, we recommend that you attach a photo (.jpg, please) of your pet for us to include on the web.” Residents can also call Animal Control at 440-237-0665 to do a full lost and found animal report. This will also help residents find a lost animal or return one.
The website also gives tips on abandoned wildlife, especially babies:
“Hands Off — Rarely do wild animals abandon their young. The mother is usually nearby, watching helplessly. They seldom expose themselves, even when their young are being abducted by concerned humans. A baby animal has little scent and mom has plenty, so except for feeding, they leave their young alone to minimize the risk of predators finding their nest.
Leave them Alone — If you find an exposed nest of rabbits, cover it with grass clippings or leaves. Should the nest need to be moved, move it to a safe area, such as a flowerbed, etc., and re-cover it. You can return a baby bird to its nest, but it’s best to leave it alone! It is not true that parents will reject babies that have been touched by human hands.
A Baby Wild Animal’s Best Chance for Survival is with its Natural Mother.”
To prevent wildlife nuisance, keep your outside and outbuildings free of any food source, such as bird seed, cat or dog food. Make sure rubbish isn’t accessible. Make sure chimneys are capped. Do not feed the wildlife. For more individual information, visit the Animal Control tab of the city’s website.

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer