Bill to change how long shelters need to keep lost animals

 Pets may get adopted
before reunited with owner

A change in the time that animal shelters have to keep pets before they get adopted could mean more owners not getting reunited with their pets.

A bill in Madison would change that time period from seven days to four.

From the Coulee Region Humane Society, Kathy Kasakaitas says that’s not nearly enough time for some owners to even realize their pet might be missing – mostly cat owners.

“They expect their cat to come home within a couple days,” she said. “Shorting them that four days in this community would hurt the pet owners.”

Current law says, after seven days in a shelter, a pet becomes property of the facility and can be adopted out or euthanized.