DeKalb may see a decrease in animals left behind by students in the summer.

Dan Berres, DeKalb County Animal Control Warden, said in the past, students would go back home for the summer, leaving their pets homeless. Berres said this used to be a problem at NIU; lately, however, these trends have been changing for the better.

“Recently, I haven’t seen a problem,” Berres said. “Landlords are being more vigilant in making sure animals aren’t in their apartments.”

Berres said they still have to go in and remove animals, but that is decreasing.

April Arrecis, outreach coordinator for TAILS Humane Society, 2250 Barber Greene Road, said she has heard students go home and leave their pets behind.

“We hear the rumors that there are a lot of strays on campus because students [leave their animals behind], but I don’t know if we’ve seen an increase [of animals at the shelter],” Arrecis said.

Arrecis said TAILS is trying to control this problem by conducting interviews with the students who are trying to adopt pets.

“We require to talk to the student’s parent to make sure they have a home in the summer,” Arrecis said.

Roberta Shoaf, director of the DeKalb County Animal Shelter, 16173 Baseline Road, Genoa, has a similar plan for adopting out pets.

“I don’t know if there is an increase when students leave school,” Shoaf said. “We try to ascertain that when students adopt animals, the animals will have a place to live when they go home.”

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