FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orleans Parish Communication District, in Coordination with City of New Orleans,
Announces Partnership with Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans
Humane Law & Rescue for Animal Control Dispatching Services
NEW ORLEANS, LA –The Orleans Parish Communication District (OPCD), in coordination with the City of New Orleans, will be holding a press conference to announce the upcoming partnership with the Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Humane Law & Rescue (Humane Law & Rescue) for animal control call taking and dispatching services.
Beginning in January 2021, calls for animal control services will be managed and dispatched by emergency communications specialists at Orleans Parish Communication District. Residents and visitors who wish to request animal control services may do so by calling 9-1-1 for life-threatening animal control emergencies, or 3-1-1 for non-emergency animal control requests.
Watch video of the press conference in English here.
Watch video of the press conference in Spanish here.
As public safety organizations within the City of New Orleans continue developing ways to provide better services for residents and visitors, the partnership between OPCD and the Louisiana SPCA quickly presented itself as the perfect opportunity to improve efficiencies relating to animal control response. Some expected improvements include new in-vehicle location and communication technology upgrades for Humane Officers, faster response times, greater coordinated response between Humane Law & Rescue and NOPD, NOFD and EMS, and 24 hours a day, 7 days a week communications support for residents in need of animal control services.
“We have two great organizations defined by their passion for helping those in need, and whether you’re on two feet or four legs, you matter in the City of New Orleans,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “This partnership is an opportunity to create better efficiencies for animal control emergency and non-emergency response. What I am most excited about is the better inter-agency coordination and response from all public safety agencies – we are all in this together.”
“The team at OPCD is excited to begin our partnership with the Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Humane Law & Rescue,” stated OPCD Executive Director, Tyrell Morris. “We see this as another opportunity for public safety agencies in New Orleans to meet residents where they are, and to provide them with the services they need in the most effective way possible. We appreciate Mayor Cantrell’s support in developing this partnership between our organizations, and for giving us the tools we need to be successful in its implementation. I truly cannot wait to begin working, hand-in-hand, with an organization like the Louisiana SPCA, that truly cares about promoting, protecting and advancing the well-being of our companion animals.”
The Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Humane Law & Rescue partners with the City of New Orleans through a contract to provide vital animal control services for Orleans Parish. The Humane Law & Rescue team’s focus is to provide high quality, compassionate care for the animals they rescue and shelter. Although they are contracted to provide these services in New Orleans only, the Louisiana SPCA’s animal cruelty work is not limited by parish boundaries. For large scale cruelty cases, the Humane Law & Rescue team is often called to assist national organizations with dog fighting busts, puppy mill raids and investigations. They are also a founding member of the Canine CODIS Fighting Dog Combined DNA Index System along with the ASPCA and UC Davis.
“The Louisiana SPCA’s New Orleans Humane Law & Rescue is an essential service that is vital to keeping our community safe,” stated Humane Law and Rescue CEO, Ana Zorrilla. “By partnering with the Orleans Parish Communication District, our Humane Officers will be able to respond quickly and efficiently while working collaboratively with other City entities.”
Requests of questions relating to animal adoption, pet care, and any other requests that would not require the dispatch of a Humane Officer should be made directly to the Louisiana SPCA by calling 504-368-5191 or emailing [email protected].
About the Orleans Parish Communication District (www.OPCDLA.gov)
Formed in 1982, the Orleans Parish Communication District is the PSAP for all emergency communications via 9-1-1, and non-emergency communications via 3-1-1, within Orleans Parish. The agency employs over 180 individuals and provides emergency medical dispatch, emergency fire dispatch, and emergency police dispatch for the millions of annual visitors and residents of the City of New Orleans. OPCD is a member of the Association of Public Safety Communication Officials (APCO) and the National Emergency Number Association (NENA). The Mission of OPCD is to get the Right People to the Right Place at the Right Time, Better than Anybody Else in the World.
OPCD Contact:
Marcus W. Creel, MS
OPCD Public Engagement Manager
601.319.2024
[email protected]
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