Fort Wayne residents concerned about dog walking (and relieving itself) on roof
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — A dog spotted roaming on the roof of Fort Wayne home for several days has drawn concerns from neighbors and an investigation by animal care workers.
The dog has been spotted on a roof at home at 527 Prospect Ave., near Spy Run Avenue on downtown’s east side. Neighbors have said it climbs through an open window that an air conditioning unit was pushed from to get to the roof. The air conditioner is laying on the roof.
The dog then roams around on the roof. It appeared to have relieved itself on the roof.
Amy-Jo Sites, director of Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control, said animal control officers were first called to the home Sept. 30. The officers noted that someone was possibly still living at the home, so a re-checked was scheduled.
An officer returned just before 3:30 p.m. on Sunday and watched the dog emerge from the open window onto the roof and return inside the home. Sites said the officer could not find a property owner or tenant, so messages were left and another re-check was scheduled.
An officer went back four hours later and found the window shut and lights in the home on, Sites said. No one answered the door, though.
On Tuesday, around 10:30 a.m., animal control officials contacted the property owner and learned the dog’s owner hadn’t been evicted and was living at the home only through the end of the month. Just before noon, then, an officer went to the home and found the window again open and the dog going onto the roof freely, Sites said.
The owner told animal care dispatchers that she was on her way home, Sites said, and another re-check was scheduled. An hour later, an officer found the window closed and the dog safe inside, Sites said.
WISH-TV’s sister station WANE in Fort Wayne went to the home around 9 a.m. Wednesday and found the dog roaming the roof.
Sites issued the following statement:
We cannot remove animals without proof an owner has been evicted. Without a property owner on scene w/paperwork, we don’t have the legal authority to remove an animal. The dog did not show any signs of duress which would escalate to an exigent circumstance leading us to get a warrant to remove the dog from the property. We don’t condone allowing animals onto roofs especially one that doesn’t have a barrier of some sort. However, there isn’t anything in the ordinance that would allow us to remove the animal immediately (unless it was an escalated situation that was a danger to his health/safety).