Despite an overwhelming amount of intake of new animals, Iberia Parish Animal Control Director Erica Capak said the department is continuing to make progress in improving the facility. 

Capak tolk the Iberia Parish Council at Wednesday’s meeting that the past six months since she has been hired has seen overall improvement at the shelter, including building relationships with the local community and animal rescues around the country to give the animals at the shelter a place to go. 

“We’ve made a lot of progress and it’s due to the community participating and in the rescues,” Capak said. “We expect further progress.”

In the period between Nov. 1, 2021 and June 15 of this month, Capak said a total of 883 animals have been taken into IPAC either through rescues, animal cruelty cases or drop offs. 

During that same time period, 895 animals have been taken out of the facility. 

The outtake of animals at animal control includes 111 adoptions, 43 animals that were returned to their animals and 631 that were sent to one of the several animal shelters IPAC has connected with recently. 

In terms of the animals that IPAC takes in, Capak said that 52 percent came from the city of New Iberia, while 39 percent came from Iberia Parish unincorporated areas. Less than 1 percent came from Jeanerette, Delcambre and Loreauville municipal limits. 

“It’s getting better but we constantly stay full,” Capak said. “I’m always in contact with rescues who are able to take animals in.”

IPAC has been able to have a photographer stop by once a month to take photos of the animals as a way to gain attention through social media for prospective animal owners, which has also helped outtake. 

Capak said that the rise of gas prices and other economic concerns could have a negative impact on IPAC in the near future, however, and said the facility plans to open a food bank for pet owners who may not be able to afford buying food for their pets. 

Capak added that the month of May led to a historic amount of animals being taken in. About 164 animals were brought into the shelter during that time period.

“I’m really worried because with the economy it’s going to affect the animal population,” she said. “That’s why I’m trying to do this food bank so some people can keep their animals with this assistance.”

In other business, Scott Saunier was sworn in as an interim councilman during Wednesday’s council meeting. Saunier will be filling the seat left vacant by Marty Trahan, who died last month.