Addressing concerns and community needs regarding Denham Springs Animal Control's response to issues outside of their immediate kennel operations.
By LRA, published on 6-8-2025 updated on 6-8-2025.
Denham Springs Animal Control plays a vital role in our community, particularly in managing the animal shelter and responding to immediate emergencies. However, residents of Shelly's Homesites often face challenges related to animal control issues that extend beyond the immediate scope of the shelter's operations. This section addresses community concerns regarding the responsiveness and enforcement of animal-related ordinances in our neighborhoods.
Effective animal control extends to addressing public nuisances, ensuring proper animal containment, and enforcing breeding regulations to maintain a safe and harmonious living environment for all residents and their pets.
If you examine the municipal ordinances, you'll find that many animal-related concerns fall under the responsibility of Animal Control, officially known as the Denham Springs Animal Shelter. Despite being a taxpayer-funded facility, its lack of enforcement and responsiveness raises serious concerns about the protections it should provide to city residents. While the shelter operates as a No Kill facility, preventing aggressive dogs from causing harm in local neighborhoods appears to be an entirely different matter—one that the City of Denham Springs seems unwilling to address.
In November 2023, a formal complaint letter was submitted to Denham Springs Animal Control, raising concerns about aggressive behavior displayed by breeder dogs in the area.
Despite receiving taxpayer funding, the Denham Springs Animal Shelter failed to acknowledge or respond to residents' concerns. At first, the City Clerk's office, speaking on behalf of the animal shelter's director, denied receiving any complaints or official notices. However, once email correspondence was presented as evidence, officials revised their stance, stating that the complaint submitted was not worded in a way that warranted any action by the authorities.
While contacting Denham Springs Animal Control directly is often the first step, understanding their scope and limitations is important.
Many residents express concerns about Animal Control's responsiveness to issues such as stray animals, nuisance barking, and enforcement of breeding and containment ordinances outside of direct kennel operations.
