Recently I had an opportunity to contact our Animal Control Office regarding several dogs running loose in our neighborhood. Almost every morning when I leave the house for work there are these dogs loose in front of my residence and running the neighborhood.

My wife has contacted the Animal Control on several occasions in regards to this matter. She is told the officer is out of the area in Frazier Park or he has driven around the area and was unable to locate any strays. This is hard to believe considering the animals seem to be out every morning and evening. My contact with the Animal Control (Dispatch) didn’t bring any satisfaction either. When I told them they (dogs) were out almost every morning at 6:30 a.m. I was told that the officer didn’t start work until 8:00 a.m. When I asked if they could just patrol the area once in a while they would see the dogs. They are out all day. I can’t remember when I last saw Animal Control up in this area.

It seems that this county agency could try to work with the citizens in their area a little better. After all, don’t we support them with our taxes? I know I don’t live in the most desirable neighborhood but there are many people that live here, work hard and pay their fair share of taxes to support the county of Kern. We should be able to have our concerns at least considered, not just blown off with some excuse or story of why they can’t. maybe it’s time for someone or some agency to look into what needs to be done and start to help with the problem instead of giving excuses.

This is not the first time I have had contact with this agency. The same answers or excuses were part of their story going back 8 or 9 years. It seems that even back when the county budged was in better shape this agency had the same problems, a lack of willingness to do a job that they were given. Wake up, the same excuse gets old, if not a cop out, review the duties you are responsible for and do your job.

-Linda Winslow
Taft, CA