~by Tori Riley, GCNO publisher
As a steering committee headed by Don Orris moves forward with building a new animal shelter to serve the county, part of the conversation is about the need for an animal control officer.
Discussion centers on the need and funding for a dedicated animal control officer. That cost is part of the $225,000-plus annual operating costs of a shelter Orris provided to the county supervisors and the Jefferson city council.
As Orris presented information to the city council, police chief Mark Clouse said officers responded to about 500 animal calls last year.
July 25 was a “dog day” for the JPD. The following is from the JPD daily report for Monday:
- At 6:24 am a complainant advised of a stray dog that followed her home from a walk on McDuffie Drive. The officer placed the animal in the animal holding facility.
- At 8:53 am a complainant reported a German shepherd mix approaching subjects and barking at them in the area of S. Wilson and Russell. The officer located the animal but could not get near it without it running from him. The animal’s owner arrived and was able to retrieve the animal. The officer is working with the owner to get the dog current on a city animal license.
- At 9:54 am a complainant reported a dog tied to a tree all day with dirty water to drink in the 500 block of E. State St. The officer went to the area but the dog was no longer there. The officer will follow up with the animal’s owner.
- At 6:08 pm an officer investigated a dog bite in the 1300 block of Southfield Drive. A male subject was walking in the area and was approached and bit on the calf by a small neighborhood dog. The owner of the animal contacted the officer as well about the incident. The animal bite did break the skin. According to city ordinances, if an animal bites a human, the animal must leave the city or be destroyed. The animal’s owner is having the animal put down.
Not every day is a “dog day”, but time spent chasing dogs or checking on their welfare is time not spent patrolling our streets or conducting investigations.
