Lawton pet owners now know exactly what it costs to bring an impounded animal home. The City Council approved new fees Tuesday night at the recommendation of Animal Welfare Director Cliff Blasengame: $20 for a rabies vaccination, $20 for a microchip, and $50 for spay/neuter, all provided at the shelter when the animal is redeemed. Adoption fees are unchanged at $23 for cats and $57.50 for dogs and livestock.
The reasoning behind the move is numbers. The shelter takes in roughly 400 to 500 animals a month, and Blasengame told the council many arrive without current rabies shots, identification, or sterilization. When those services are left to voluntary follow-up, the city says, too many owners never complete them, which feeds public health risks and the steady overpopulation of stray animals. Charging at redemption means the work gets done before the pet leaves the building.
In the same meeting, the council awarded its ATM services contract to Lawton-based MROD, which will pay the city 65 cents per transaction at machines covering the animal shelter, City Hall, the lakes headquarters, the public safety center, and the Aquatic Park. If you’ve got a pet at home, this is a good week to check that rabies tag and microchip paperwork. What do you think of the new reclaim fees?
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Local Lawton
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