Local policy on animal control?

How can you find out local policy of animal control? I have a sneaking suspicion that lots of animals around here are being killed... It's a large university town surrounded by farms, which seems like the kind of place to expect huge colonies. And yet, the only stray / feral I've ever heard about is my own rescue kitty who lives with me now. She was a kitten when found, too. I never see any strays. Once I saw one (i thought) and ran around after it in the freezing cold with a can of food, and followed its steps right to...someone's door.
So, basically, I never see any strays, know there have to be some, and don't know how to figure out what local policy is. I would like to do something if they just trap and kill them all (my babies siblings!!!!).

Probably the easiest way would be to call up the local shelter or animal control and ask what their policy is.

Ask for their statistics for the past year and ask for any public education materials they hand out. The former will tell you what they're doing; the latter will tell you about their philosophies (or lack thereof).

As for strays/ferals, most animal controls are pretty much doing "nothing" but in reality do sporadic trap-and-kill. Regardless of what they are or aren't doing, a community based Trap-Neuter-Return program is needed everywhere so you certainly would do a lot of good by getting one started.

You may want to touch base with Humane Ohio regarding helping out:

http://www.humaneohio.org/

Katie

I agree with all of the above - contact them and ask for the policy - in writing of they have it (it may be on their web site). Many have a 72 hr timeline for ppl to find their pets which I find not nearly enough time - anyone ko=now why that is (I've always wondered and no one at our rescue group here knows eithee). Also check their stats to see if they are a kill shelter - sadly, most animal control places are - they simply are not really rescues. They are doing a job - granted, some are very good, it just depends on the area. There is no consitent policy across the US or other countries either, even worse in some countries where cats are not regarded as highly as they are here.

Some states do have it in their laws the minimum amount of time that a shelter has to hold a found animal that is not feral (although that's even debatable since a scared domestic cat can act exactly like a feral...). The underfunded and over-populated shelters will use that minimum as their basis. However, many states don't have that spelled out and it is up to the shelter itself or municipality to decide. It's really all about cage space and money. It costs money to keep an animal in a cage, especially if it's deemed "unadoptable" (too old, too ugly, sick, etc.) by whoever is in charge of that.

What local policy controll?We barely treat humas rightfully and with respect(trust me)
As far as animals.People take care of then cuz they stick around them.Al least dogs do,cats to little.
We don't have that sorta policy to register your animal after you have bought it.
Oh well...