Police Chief Thomas Horne said Monday that people are using social media to criticize what they call the Police Department’s lack of response to stray animals.

Horne said at the Select Board meeting that his department is increasingly pressed into animal control duty, and that the staff has been treated unfairly online after residents calling the department about a stray animal are told that the staff is involved with other police business. He asked the board for help.

“More and more, people expect us to pick up animals. We can hold the owners of animals responsible, but we don’t have the staffing or facility to house dogs,” Horne said.

According to Horne, “Social media postings are destroying public trust,” as he explained that people call the department when a neighbor’s dog seems loose and ask, “Are you going to give him a ticket?”

“If I say that I can’t take the animal with me, people hear ‘The police won’t help.’ When we don’t respond as quickly as people like, they post ‘The police aren’t here because of a stray dog,’” he said.

Horne explained that if an officer takes possession of an animal, he or she must drive the animal to the Monadnock Humane Society in Swanzey, an hour away.

“That means a shift is due to end at 8 p.m. is gone at 6 or earlier, because it’s going to take two hours to go to Swanzey and back.” Horne said. “I’m not unsympathetic. If we post this issue on our site, negative comments will follow.”

The possibility of a volunteer animal control officer for the town was discussed, and board member Elizabeth Villaume said that she will work with Horne on this issue.

In other news, the board announced that John Rodat has been appointed to the CIP committee.