State law regarding sick animals topic of discussion at Sedgwick County Animal Care Advisory Board meeting

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A state law from 1911 was the major topic of discussion at the Sedgwick County Animal Care Advisory Board meeting on Thursday.

The law was originally intended for livestock, but is now being applied to cats and dogs.

It calls for sick animals to be taken to a shelter until it is well enough to be released.

With limited shelter space, this means animals may be euthanized before they recover.

“Animal control groups are concerned about picking up stray cats or, in hoarding cases, a lot of cats that may be contagious and that they can’t promise the owner that they’ll find a good home for it because they’ll probably be put down,” said Susan Erlenwein, the director of Environmental Resources for Sedgwick County.

She is asking everyone who wants the law updated to contact state lawmakers.