INJURED: Animal just left to suffer

A co-worker of mine made a call Thursday to Animal Control because we found an injured animal in our parking lot at work. She was told by Coeur d'Alene dispatch that someone would be out to check on the animal. I returned to work an hour later to make sure the animal had been taken care of, but it was still lying in a bush in our lot. I called Coeur d'Alene dispatch back to see when Animal Control would be coming out. I was asked for our office address, and then was told that Animal Control got off duty at 5 p.m. (the original call was made at 5:15 p.m.), and that they would return to duty at 8 a.m. the next day and would respond to the call.

If I weren't such a humane person, I would have put the animal out of its misery myself, but I could never kill another living thing. I am very disgusted with our city for the fact that a poor animal has to lie dying in the bushes because of an 8-5 job. What happened to humanity and caring for the sick? Yes, I understand this is an animal and not a human being, but animals feel pain and fear. And all I can think about is that poor animal lying there helpless and suffering.

ERIN RUNDELL

Coeur d'Alene