Frozen water pipes at dog pound

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Story Published: Nov 30, 2009 at 6:53 PM MDT

Story Updated: Nov 30, 2009 at 7:19 PM MDT

By Steven Pope

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ST. ANTHONY - First the good news, a story I ran on the 12th resulted in the return of a dog to it's owners.

As for the bad news, frozen pipes at the dog pound are causing concern for the St. Anthony Police.

"Someone saw the dog on TV and it was theirs. They contacted us, their kids were estatic, they got their dog back. They were happy," said St. Anthony Police Chief Jim Smith.

It just goes to show that the media can make a positive difference, especially for a family in Wilford who now has their dog back after it spent over a month in this pound.

"The problem is, when it gets below freezing, even though we try to keep the water running on the facet here, it sometimes freezes up," said Smith.

Part of the reason water is freezing at the dog pound is it has to go across a bridge in a pipe, and it isn't insulated.

"(The Pound) is about 30+ years old, the mayor elect said it was built when he was mayor last time," said Smith.

There is heating inside the pound, but this pipe had to be cut and thawed out. Running water has been restored to the pound for now.

"I just worked on thawing out the water lines so the animals could have water," said Kirk Nelson, with the St. Anthony Public Works.

Money to repair or build a new pound was coming, but it was all used to fix leaky roofs at City Hall. Police Chief Jim Smith has started looking for other options.

"I've contacted Rexburg PD to see what their accommodations might be, and they're willing to work with us," said Smith.

But that will cost 65 dollars for every dog they send. Plus it would mean a drive to a different county for anyone trying to locate a lost dog, and that may not keep locals happy.

If you recognized the dog in tonight's story just call the St. Anthony Police at 624-4001, they'll be sure to return your dog.

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