NIU students who keep pets during the semester but let them go during vacations don’t add significantly to the problem of strays in DeKalb county.

Strays are picked up by the DeKalb County Animal Control. Control also is responsible for issuing the rabies innoculation tax, impounding dogs exhibiting rabid symptoms, investigating rabies bites, and livestock kill.

“We pick up 10 to 15 (strays) a month,” said Bob Drake, Director of Environmental Health and Animal Control Supervisor. The strays are taken to veterinarians where they are vaccinated if adopted.

Ater seven days, unwanted animals are euthanized. “At most two a month are adopted out,” said Lou Lichtardt, Animal Control Warden.

Lichtardt said there is a stray per month picked up from NIU. Others are found in the towns, with DeKalb having the largest amount.

“We seem to have a slight increase of stray dogs at the end of the fall semester and more at the end of May but it’s not a major problem,” Drake said. There are few pets at NIU he said.

Lichtardt said there hasn’t been a positive rabies case for 15 years.

Created by state law, the Animal Control began in 1975. It is funded by state and county, but primary funding is provided by the rabies tax, Lichtardt said.