Ticket Comment
Dear Cindy, thank you for being concerned enough about these animals to take the time to write in. The unfortunate reality is that Jack's Pet Center has been complained about and investigated many, many times. The owners have always been found to be marginally within current legal guidelines pertaining to sheltering and caring for animals. We continue to monitor the store.
It is not our function to shut down businesses, rather we are tasked with making sure that businesses are in compliance with existing laws, and we have done this.
The amount of time, manpower, and expense which have already been spent investigating these exact allegations against Jack's Pet Store is substantial. The store is not currently breaking any laws, otherwise they would have been charged with an offense.
In conducting past investigations, the Great Falls Police Department (which includes Animal Control) has utilized extensive resources, including: the Great Falls Fire Department, veterinarians, City of Great Falls Community Development, the City of Great Falls Animal Shelter, the City County Health Department, the Great Falls City Attorney’s Office, the Humane Society of the United States, US Department of Agriculture, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Many aspects of the store have been scrutinized in recent years, including: the monkey enclosure, overcrowding, fire safety, types of animals displayed or for sale, animal health and welfare, and general human health guidelines.
Our Animal Control Officers continue to do unannounced, random walk-throughs to make sure that there are no new issues. If new and specifically different issues come to light, we consider those on a case by case basis.
As illustrated above, the City of Great Falls has taken these complaints seriously. We have diligently investigated, we have involved widespread resources, and we cannot justify spending more taxpayer money to re-investigate repetitive complaints against a business which has already been found to be in compliance with existing laws.
