Dog that visited school to be sent to Humane Society

A playful stray dog who won the hearts of some Detroit school children and teachers on Wednesday will be sent to the Michigan Humane Society after a holding period at Detroit Animal Control expires this weekend.

A spokesman for the Humane Society said "Detroit Animal Control has committed to transferring the dog" for placement by the Humane Society should the owner not claim her during the four-day holding period.

If the dog is placed for adoption, there are teachers and students at Detroit Waldorf School willing to take her.

"This dog has a home if an owner can't be found," said Erica Brehmer, a teacher at Waldorf in the Indian Village neighborhood. "It shouldn't be put to death."

Unfortunately for Brehmer and the kids who are still concerned about the dog — they named it Jenga — animal control rules prevent them from claiming the dog right now. Brehmer said she's willing to adopt the dog herself.

The yellow pitbull-mix was near the school grounds when animal control officers responded Wednesday afternoon to a call about a stray dog, Brehmer said. The dog's bright white teeth and playful nature gave off a youthful vibe.

The animal control officers captured the dog and hauled it away.

Brehmer and another teacher began making calls to city offices and the Humane Society but could not put a claim on the dog in case its owner never showed up. Brehmer said she was frustrated because she was transferred to several different departments and given conflicting information along the way.

"I know there's a lot of dogs and not a lot of homes. Most dogs that go into a shelter — an animal control situation — are euthanized," Brehmer said. "I understand why they picked the dog up like that. It still was upsetting for basically everybody who witnessed it."

Brehmer said a fifth-grade class at the school is drafting a letter to animal control saying the incident was upsetting.

Harry Ward, head of Detroit Animal Control, said this type of situation, unfortunately, is common.

State laws that govern the department's operations don't allow Brehmer or anyone else who isn't the dog's owner to stake a claim on an animal immediately. Ward said the department must keep stray dogs without identification for four business days. If they are unclaimed, animal control evaluates the dog. Dogs fit for adoption are made available to the Michigan Humane Society; the rest are put down.

The Humane Society visits Detroit Animal Control weekly and decides which dogs to accept into its adoption program, Ward said. The animal control department does not run an adoption program, he said, conceding that an outdated website says otherwise.

Ward suggested those concerned about Jenga's fate adopt a dog from the Humane Society to make room for more dogs in the adoption program.

"Do something for all the dogs, instead of getting focused on the one dog," Ward said.

A spokesman for the Michigan Humane Society could not be reached.

If your dog is being kept by the Detroit animal control department, you can make a case for ownership with a picture, veterinary records or a visible bond with the dog, Ward said. The department's number is 313-224-6356.

"I know to the world this one dog is important. I want the world to know there are 38 other dogs that will come in over one or two days," Ward said. "People need to pull back and look at the bigger issue."

(Update: An earlier version of this story indicated schoolchildren were playing with the dog. Brehmer said the kids were not allowed to play with the dog.)

Contact Joe Guillen: 313-222-6678 or jguillen@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @joeguillen.