Franklin BOC Considers Tougher Animal Control Ordinance

Franklin County Commissioners are looking at passing a more expanded and detailed animal control ordinance.

The current ordinance only deals with vicious dogs but does not address other animal issues such as cruelty and dogs roaming at large.

At their work session Tuesday evening, Commissioner Jason Macomson, who is a practicing veterinarian at Lavonia Animal Hospital, outlined his proposal for an expanded ordinance.

Under the proposed ordinance, dog owners would need to be in control of their pets at all times, but the ordinance stops short of mandating a leash law.

“This proposed animal ordinance is needed primarily to improve the welfare of domestic animals and improve dog control in the county, although it affects all animals,” Macomson said. “The ordinance is not a leash law, and under this ordinance, owners out in the county can allow their dogs to roam free on their property. There isn’t a requirement per se that dogs must be confined by leash or pen on the owner’s property. However, owners do have a duty to keep their animals on their property. When off the owner’s property, dogs must either be leashed or under the direct control of the owner. Owners are responsible and liable if their animals leave their property and threaten or harm people, pets, livestock, and other property.”

Macomson said he based that section on Georgia’s Responsible Dog Ownership law.

Complaints about packs of dogs running loose and attacking or threatening other pets in a neighborhood often come into the Sheriff’s office but because there is nothing in the current animal control ordinance addressing that issue, there’s nothing the Sheriff can do.

This expanded animal control ordinance, Macomson says, would address that as well as basic animal welfare issues.

“State law has very specific requirements for how local animal control officials designate dogs as dangerous or vicious, and then how animals should be confined that have been classified in this manner,” he explained. “This ordinance codifies state law locally and gives county officials and sheriff’s deputies the tools to handle cases where dogs leave their owner’s property and threaten or attack people or their pets or livestock or damage property. It also prohibits cruelty to animals, abandonment of animals, animal fighting, and requires basic needs for animal welfare.”

Macomson, who takes over as the Franklin County Commission Chair in January, said he has seen too many instances of dogs injured by roaming dogs during his career.

“From working in the field of veterinary medicine over the last 36 years, I can’t tell you the number of times I have helped tend to animals that were attacked by someone else’s dog, and of cases where dogs threatened to attack or did attack people. Often times there isn’t a lot the sheriff’s department can do because Franklin County doesn’t have local ordinances that dictate how these cases are handled and how owners can be charged and what should be done with animals that are allowed to run free or are a nuisance or are vicious,” Macomson said.

Other sections of the proposed ordinance would address cruelty to animals, neglect, and the humane care of animals, including providing adequate food, water, and shelter.

It also would make it against County law to abandon an animal and to use dogs or other animals for fighting.

Enforcement of the proposed animal control ordinance would be vested with a county animal control officer and municipal animal control officers.

County Manager Beth Thomas asked the Board that while reviewing the proposed animal control ordinance to also take into consideration the cost of hiring an animal control officer, equipment, and other expenses needed to enforce the new codes.

Thomas added that she is in the process of interviewing for a new County Marshall but if the ordinance passes, she would have to amend that job description.

After hearing from Macomson, both Commissioners Eddie Wester and Ryan Swails said they were in agreement that the county should institute a more expanded animal control ordinance.

Macomson said he distributed copies of his proposed ordinance to County veterinarians, the Franklin County Health Department’s Environmental Health officer, and to the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter Board for their review.

He asked that the Commission be prepared to vote on passage of the ordinance in November.