But LCHS executive director Crystal Swann Blackdeer is asking for more people to take the survey in hopes of getting a better cross-section of opinion.

So far just 270 have completed the survey.

Blackdeer said Tuesday she started to get the word out just before Labor Day through the organization’s Facebook page. She then sent out a press release about the survey and plans to distribute an email encouraging local residents to complete the online survey.

Lastly, she could send out mailings requesting people to fill out the survey.

Blackdeer said the organization wanted to get a sampling of at least 1 percent of the county population of residents 18 and older.

Census numbers show the county’s population just below 60,000. Swandeer wants to receive at least 600 completed surveys, or 1 percent of the population.

By statute, the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Department is the county’s animal control authority in areas outside of cities that provide animal control services in the county.

The sheriff’s department has requested funding for these duties in recent years, but the County Commission has deemed demand not sufficient.

Blackdeer hopes the survey will reveal statistical evidence of animal control needs.

She said LCHS created the survey to show elected officials what taxpayers are experiencing with stray, abandoned and unwanted animals throughout the county.

The online survey, which can be found at www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1780732/demand-for-services, contains 10 questions inquiring about how often residents see lost, abandoned or stray pets, whether an agency assisted with the animal and how much residents would be willing to invest in animal services.

So far, when asked “Do you believe that all Leavenworth County residents should have a place where stray/abandoned pets can be cared for until they are claimed or adopted?” the overwhelming response has been yes. And when asked about paying for the services in some capacity, the most popular choice was $10 annually per household, according to Swandeer.

“We’ve been unable to convince the commission there is demand for services,” Swandeer said. “This is helping us do that.

“As great as the Leavenworth animal shelter is, it’s not built to handle the entire county’s population. They’re not staffed for it. The building doesn’t have that level of capacity.”

Plans to build an LCHS shelter south of Tonganoxie fell through, but the organization now is looking at a more central location in the county.

Statistics from the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office show there were 653 animal-related calls in 2013.

An animal call “can be anything related to an animal,” said Maj. Jim Sherley, the undersheriff. “Snake on my driveway, sick raccoon, loose cow, bat in my attic.”

In addition to pet-related calls. 471 resulted in reports. Some were law enforcement rather than animal-control-type calls, requiring investigation of alleged crimes relating to animals.