By Sara QuamCity Administrator Greg LaFond said he’s gotten more calls on the possible animal impound closing than anything else except closing the tree dump.Because of that, the Luverne City Council tabled action on closing the animal pound.The city pays about $6,000 annually in impound costs for dogs and cats. LaFond said the city was just looking for a way to save money since it’s not required to have a pound."It’s a county-wide responsibility because it’s used on a county-wide basis," LaFond said. "We can work out a lease arrangement with the county to operate the pound."During Tuesday’s Rock County Commissioners meeting, County Attorney Don Klosterbuer said that if the city closes the pound, it wouldn’t mean the county is obligated to provide a pound.He said the city can’t expect its animal ordinances to be enforced without telling the Sheriff’s Office where the city’s pound is. If calls come in to pick up animals, deputies won’t have a place to take them, he said, and it’s not the county’s obligation to provide it.Rural areas of the county do not have animal licensing requirements like the city does.Last year, 17 cats and 17 dogs were impounded in Luverne. About half of the animals in the pound are euthanized, or put to sleep. Some of that could be avoided if the impound could notify the proper owner. Licensed pets can be traced to their owners, however, there are roughly 60 licensed dogs in the city and an estimated 400 that are not licensed.Plus, some people abandon animals in town with the intention of the pound being forced to have them euthanized.All found animals that are turned into the pound are posted, and City Hall is the contact place for that. The pound holds animals for five business days before euthanizing them.