Tom Heinkel

Tom Heinkel, Animal Control Manager 325-7211

Other were dehydrated or invested with worms or fleas," said Tom Heinkel, manager of the Independence Animal Control unit and shelter."It was a real mess in there."

Inside the home, workers found only one litter tray.Feces covered the floors.The cats were fed out of bags of cat food ripped open and left on the floor.

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"The woman had lost control of the situation, and the cats had taken over," Heinkel said."Some of the animals, we had to use restraining poles, like with a dog, just to approach them."

Neighbors called the city after odors from the home became unbearable this spring.

"It got to where we could not even go out in our backyard," said one neighbor, who asked not to be identified."When the rain came this spring, it would get wet and then hot, the odor was unbelievably pungent."
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Heinkel said there were numerous complaints, though he could not give an exact number.

When things got worse this spring, neighbors called the city again.
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"I think she understood that she had lost control of the situation," Heinkel said.

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Heinkel said the department will ask the court to put Peterson on probation, so that the situation will be more closely monitored in the future.
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It is very difficult to get into someone's home, if they don't want you there," Heinkel said."Luckily, it does not often get this extreme."

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"It is pretty rare for a domestic animal to contract rabies these days but it still happens," said Animal Control supervisor Tom Heinkel."We still have to be very careful with these incidents."

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"The purpose of this clinic is to get as many dogs and cats protected against the rabies virus as possible, which in turn forms a 'buffer' between the wildlife rabies reservoir and humans," said Tom Heinkel, Independence animal control manager.

The animal was too injured and ill for authorities to save, said Animal Control manager Tom Heinkel.The deer was tranquilized and euthanized Wednesday evening.

Authorities kept the animal's brain to test for chronic wasting disease, a debilitating affliction that moves especially through captive deer populations.The Missouri Department of Conservation will perform the test.

Heinkel said the deer was likely kept as a domestic animal.It is illegal in Independence to hold such animals without a permit.Anyone who knows where the deer may have been kept should call Animal Control at 325-7211.

From staff reports

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Animal Control Manager Tom Heinkel said "we don't know exactly what happened."

He did say for sure that the dog did not have a rabies tag.

Despite the possible human contact, Animal Control manager Tom Heinkel said there is not much of a chance of a rabies epidemic.

"This is somewhat of a routine situation," Heinkel said."Thankfully so, they rarely test positive (for rabies) ...There is no more danger today than there was a week ago or a month ago."

Across the state, 1,593 specimens had been tested this year as of Aug. 31.Heinkel said 33 animals tested positive for rabies statewide, including 19 bats, 13 skunks and one bovine.

The species found in the rabies case in Independence was a western red bat, a species that lives on its own and not in a colony.

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Pet owners should not worry more than usual, Heinkel said.

"You can test for rabies in a dog or a cat without killing the animal," he said.

When contact with humans occurs with wild animals such as bats, the animals are put down by animal control officers and the head is sent to state laboratories for testing.

Domestic animals, such as dogs and cats, would be quarantined in a potential rabies case.They don't normally live beyond a few days if the rabies virus is present, Heinkel said.

Bats can live with the virus, Heinkel said.A random sampling of 100 bats anywhere has the chance to turn up rabies, he added.

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Heinkel sent a memo to his staff summarizing the importance of rabies control in domestic animals to minimize human contact.

Both Jones and Heinkel said pet owners need to have their pets vaccinated each year for rabies.

"Our first duty here is rabies control in domestic animals," Heinkel said."Vaccinations of domestic animals have separated the reservoir of the virus in wild animals and humans."

Independence Animal Control manager Tom Heinkel said his fellow employees handled more than 200 calls Monday from citizens who thought they were being targeted for their pets.

Heinkel said people think the letter, which begins, "Dear resident, we have received a report that a dog ... being kept at your residence has been observed running unrestrained in your neighborhood," is aimed directly at them, and that is not Animal Control's position.

Heinkel said the post office did not inform Animal Control the entire "Dear resident" letter would be printed in full.

"We've worked hand in hand, but this went out without my knowledge," Heinkel said.

He said the more appropriate way of informing the public about the post office's dilemma would have been to highlight the city ordinance and not send the accusatory letter verbatim.

"They have used this letter to target people who have this problem," Heinkel said.

Still, Heinkel said he stands up for the postal workers who have to deliver mail to areas with roaming or dangerous dogs.

"They have a legitimate gripe," he said."I feel for it."

Heinkel said he has tried to use the unfortunate situation as a learning tool.

"Most who called were not the target audience," Heinkel said."I'm trying to make some use of it by talking to the folks.If there's a dog running loose, it's better to call than wait for a bite."

Heinkel said the relationship with the post office has been very positive and the two entities work together well each year to protect people's safety.

"The post office has our permission to use (the letter)," he said."They can fill it in and send it."

When a postal worker has a problem, Heinkel said, the person can call Animal Control directly and wait at the scene.

"They are the ones that witness the violation," he said.

Heinkel said Animal Control helps out postal workers about four times per week, as opposed to four to five times per month only a year ago.

"In my opinion the conditions in the field are no different than they were six months ago," Heinkel said.