DOG POUND

Albion has had dog ordinances for many years. What to do with stray dogs has changed over the years. At one time Albion had its "very own" dog pound, and a dog warden. It was on Tuesday June 26, 1962 that Albion’s dog pound opened on Brownswood Road, northeast of the sewage treatment plant. The structure had been built by local contractor Claire Torrey.

The Dog Warden at the time was Wayne Sleeper. The first dog to come to the pound was a brown mongrel about six months old, which had been brought in by John Barclay, dog warden for the eastern part of Calhoun County. He also brought in another "county dog" so that by the end of the first week of operation, Albion’s new dog pound had two occupants.

Back then there was a five-day waiting period for the owner to come claim their dog. There was also a $5 boarding fee for that period. After that, the dog went on the adoption list. The dogs were housed in several stalls, but there was also a chain linked fence area outside they could go to. The pound concept eventually became too expensive and outmoded to operate, as other county-wide policies regarding stray animals were enacted which gravitated towards the Battle Creek area. The Albion Dog Pound was eventually abandoned and demolished.

From our Historical Notebook this week we present a 1962 photograph of the Albion Dog Pound. How many of our residents remember this building?

	Frank Passic — Albion Historian An Albion native and 1971 graduate of Albion High School, Frank Passic has been researching and writing Albion history since 1976. He is the creator of the Albion Historical Notebook, with hundreds of articles appearing weekly in the Morning Star and The Recorder. Frank maintains an extensive personal archive including Riverside Cemetery records, family surname files, genealogies, photographs, city directories, and high school yearbooks. Support his 2026 research at the Historic Albion Michigan Facebook page. Historical Notebook \| From the Archives \| Subject List \| 100 Years Ago \| Alphabetical Index \| Frank Passic Home Page \| Albion History Books \| Contact Frank
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