Letter: Animal cruelty complaints in Benton County are handled by sheriff

This is a response to the letter, “What does Benton County Animal Control do?” (TCH, Aug. 28)

I supervise Benton County Animal Control and have firsthand knowledge of the duties and functions of our animal control department.

Benton County Animal Control handles stray dogs, as well as dogs that have been “dumped” by their owners in the unincorporated areas of the county. These dogs are provided excellent care and attention by our limited staff and wonderful volunteers until homes can be found.

Our facility will also assist the Benton County Sheriff’s Department in confiscating “potentially dangerous” or “dangerous” dogs.

The letter was correct, Benton County Animal Control does not handle welfare checks on dogs, including dogs left out in the extreme heat with poor to no water and food. These issues and complaints of animal cruelty are handled by the sheriff’s department, as these cases may result in criminal charges. Animal control officers are not commissioned officers of Washington State and therefore are not trained to handle criminal investigations.

The sheriff’s department handles all animal cruelty cases.

Tour our facility to see our staff’s hard work and dedication, and adopt a dog.

This story was originally published September 2, 2016 at 4:50 AM with the headline "Letter: Animal cruelty complaints in Benton County are handled by sheriff."