In need of a good home

On Monday, the Post-Signal visited with Acadia Parish Animal Control Director Tim Benoit just before he was about to embark on the unenviable task of trying to catch a pit bull in Crowley’s Clearview Subdivision.

“They’ve been calling me all morning,” he said wearily. “But every time we’ve passed by, it’s nowhere to be seen.”

Asked how he went about capturing pit bulls, Benoit answered like a seasoned veteran.

“I always bring treats,” he said. “You can’t show them any fear. If you do they know they have the upper hand.”

The last time Benoit was interviewed, he was preparing for a Pet Adoption Day to be held in front of Tractor Supply on Odd Fellows Road. Monday, he was asked if another adoption day was being planned for the near future.

“Every day is pet adoption day over here,” he smiled.

Overall, Benoit was in a good mood. He recently had a very successful weekend during which he found owners for nearly half of the puppies/dogs in the shelter. It was a far cry from his last interview where every cage was full and, in some cases, dogs were being forced to share space.

“People generally come out when I near the point where I have to put them down,” he said. “Nobody likes to think about that.”

When Benoit discusses euthanizing animals, the expression on his face quickly changes. Though he acknowledges it is a necessary part of his job, it is understandably the part he least enjoys.

As Benoit walks around to each cage in his shelter, it’s easy to see how detailed he is as he recalls his experiences with each dog.

“This little girl here gave me these fresh scars,” he said as he displayed several marks on his forearms and gestured towards a particularly quiet dog. “The poor thing was so scared ... every time I tried to pick her up but she scratched and bit at me.”

A very large dog with white hair looked particularly out of place. Benoit said the dog was a pure bred Great Pyrenees. It seemed much more calm that the other dogs at the shelter. To hear Benoit, a livestock farmer would do well by adopting this particular pet.

“These dogs are natural herders,” he said. “This is a dog that should be put to work. I’m surprised an owner hasn’t come forward for him yet. He may have traveled from another parish. They are normally pretty expensive, but over here it’s always ten dollars.”

Visiting the area where the cats/kittens are housed, Benoit’s frustration is evident.

“I really wish people would spay and neuter their cats,” he said. “I’ve picked up so many of them. Many of them are litters.

“The bad thing about cats is that if they aren’t vaccinated, they have so many diseases they can carry like feline leukemia or feline AIDS,” he said.

As Benoit headed towards his truck at the end of his interview, he pointed out that it probably wouldn’t be long before the shelter was filled to capacity again.

“Now if you’ll excuse me I have to go catch a pit bull,” he smiled.

Anyone looking to adopt an animal from the Acadia Parish Animal Control can reach them at (337) 788-1073.