The Wadesboro town council passed measures related to animal control during the board’s meeting on Monday evening.
The board approved a resolution authorizing interlocal cooperation between the town and county for animal control purposes, and updated its animal control ordinance.
According to the interlocal agreement document, the town requested that the Animal Shelter and Control Division of the county assist with animal control within city limits. The town will pay $1 per capital population of the corporate limits each year.
“For example, if the town’s population was 10,000, the town would pay the county $10,000 for the services contemplated herein,” the agreement reads. “If the period of service provided by the county is for less than one year, the town will pay the same rate pro rata.”
As part of the agreement, the county will provide animal control services “only in response to requests/calls for service from the Wadesboro Police Department, Wadesboro Town Manager, and/or the town animal control officer. With the exception of trapping and sheltering services, a town police officer shall be present to actually enforce the ordinance with county staff providing capture and transfer services.”
The agreed-upon services include “animal location, sheltering, trapping, capture and transfer services.” The town can give the shelter specific direction about the holding period or other factors, but if no changes are made, the county regulations will be followed. The town will look into all animal bites, unless they happen while the county is providing the services.
The agreement will remain in effect until July 1, 2019.
A memo about the animal control issues was sent from town manager Alex Sewell to Mayor Bill Thacker and the town council on April 28.
The council has heard from multiple residents during its meetings about animal control issues and has been working on the problem.
In the memo, Sewell noted that the council tasked him and Police Chief Thedis Spencer with dealing with the problem during the council’s March meeting, particularly “1) safety issue relating to dogs on chains breaking off, 2) address dogs being left in inhumane conditions such as extreme weather or without food, water, and shelter, 3) ensure cooperation with Anson County Animal Control on the issue.”
The third point was addressed through the interlocal agreement, paid for by the town’s preexisting annual donation.
The council was also concerned about town residents getting attacked if a dog broke off its chain.
“The U.S. Government’s Centers for Disease Control reports several studies have shown that dogs on a chain are more likely to bite than those in a fenced yard,” Sewell’s memo said. “Both the city of Rockingham and city of Laurinburg both decreased the amount of time that a dog could be chained up outside for one hour per day. Both municipalities have reported a decrease in bite incidents following these changes. As a result, this ordinance updates incorporates this limitation.”
Similar to Laurinburg’s ordinance, the town “also increased the containment requirements on an owner keeping what is designated as a ‘Dangerous Dog,’” the memo said. “This would mean there would be an appeals board regarding such designation.”
According to the newly-updated ordinance, a dangerous dog is one that has killed or severely injured a human without “significant provocation,” has been designated so by someone the town manager authorizes or is kept for dog fighting. The ordinance also addresses “potentially dangerous dogs,” which an authorized individual can declare if it has injured a human, or is threatening towards a human or has killed or severely injured a domestic animal off of the owner or guardian’s property.
Dangerous dogs must be spayed or neutered within 20 days of being declared dangerous, according to the updated ordinance. In addition to other rules, the dog must be kept in a confined area that meets certain specifications.
The ordinance sets the smallest penalty at $25, but has some higher fees for various violations including dog fighting.
The memo also addressed the issue of the conditions that dogs may be kept in.
“Using the state of Texas and the city of Laurinburg as primary models, the enclosed potential ordinance changes make it an ordinance violation to leave a dog outside and unattended when it’s below freezing, when there is a heat advisory, when there is a severe weather warning such as a tornado, etc.,” the memo said. “There is also a minimum pen/kennel size for dogs kept outdoors.”
The measures regarding inhumane conditions are addressed in a new section of the ordinance prohibiting cruelty towards animals.
Both the interlocal cooperation agreement and updated ordinance — which were included in the consent agenda — were approved unanimously by the council without discussion.
Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.