Found: South Whitehall Worker Who Aids Strays

Ralph Snyder’s job description in South Whitehall Township’s Public Works Department says nothing about looking for owners of stray dogs picked up by the police department. 

But Snyder knows how he’d feel if his 3-year-old beagle Maddy was lost so he has taken it upon himself to advertise the strays on Craigslist.

“It just gives them a little extra chance to be found,” Snyder said Thursday. “I’m a dog lover and it’s an extra tool to let the owners know.”

Police Lt. John Christman said when officers find stray or abandoned dogs, they put them in a kennel at the Public Works building until the Lehigh County Humane Society can get them in a day or two. “Ralph became the primary caregiver,” Christman said. “I think it’s great because he cares about them.”  

Earlier in the week, Snyder took pictures of a shepherd mix and a pit bull that police had picked up and taken to the Lehigh County Humane Society.  Snyder posted the photos and the police phone number on Craigslist. The police started getting bombarded by calls, Snyder said, so he listed the Humane Society’s number instead. The Society has a contract with South Whitehall to take its stray animals.

Snyder said the Humane Society told him that they give the strays’ owners four days before they give the dogs their shots and put them up for adoption.  He said he was told they only euthanize dogs if they are aggressive towards people or other dogs.