PSPCA encourages 'working it out'

THE CITY'S dozen animal-control officers are overwhelmed by hundreds of nuisance-pet complaints, so Franklin Manuel Santana did the right thing when he asked neighbor Tyrirk Harris to clean up after his dogs, Pennsylvania SPCA spokeswoman Wendy Marano said yesterday.

But instead of scooping the poop that his German shepherd and Chihuahua were leaving on Torresdale Avenue near Hellerman Street, Harris allegedly shot Santana dead Tuesday.

"People should be able to work things out with their neighbors instead of calling a city agency," Marano said. "Unfortunately, this was a terrible tragedy."

Residents plagued by nuisance dogs can call the Animal Care & Control Team (267-385-3800), and an officer will come out, explain the law to the dog owner and check to see that the dog license and rabies vaccination are valid. "Most dog owners comply," Marano said.

The process is slow, she said, because the animal-control officers are flooded by "hundreds of complaints of dogs running off leash, strays and raccoons. Calls are triaged. So we support neighbors trying to work it out."