Local Business Owner Petitions Franklin County BOC for Leash Law

A Lavonia woman is calling on Franklin County to institute a countywide leash law.

At their meeting Monday evening, Leesa McMillan, owner of Lavonia Pet Salon came before the Board of Commissioners with her request.

McMillan told the Board there is a problem with dogs roaming at large in her community.

She said with the absence of a leash law, dogs running loose can cause damage and put both the dogs and citizens in danger.

McMillan also cited the danger of rabies that dogs running loose may contract and then pass on to other animals or humans, and presented the Board with a petition signed by citizens asking for a leash law in the County.

Franklin County currently has no formal animal control ordinance and no leash laws.

After hearing from McMillan, County Commission Chair Jason Macomson, said this is an issue the County continues to work on but the problem is coming up with the funding to pay for an animal control officer.

The problem of stray and roaming dogs has been brought up before by citizens in Franklin County.

In 2014, a woman was attacked by pit bulls when she and her husband were buying firewood from the dogs’ owner at a home on Highway 59 in Carnesville. The owner was later cited for having vicious animals and the dogs were removed.

While no formal animal control ordinance was put in place at the time, then county manager John Phillips told the Board of Commissioners the county is required by state law to have some kind of animal control. Currently, the County uses the state animal control ordinance as a guide.

Phillips cited HB685, otherwise known as the Responsible Dog Ownership Law, which went into effect in Georgia in 2012 and calls for every county to have an animal control officer.

The Board at that time added the duties of an animal control officer to the duties of the County Marshal.

However, the County Marshal only responds to reports of a vicious dog or vicious dog attack. He does not respond to calls regarding animal cruelty, injured dogs, complaints regarding animals, or dogs at large.

Past efforts to institute a leash law in the county have failed after protests from citizens, mainly farmers and those in more rural parts of the county who told the Board of Commissioners they were against the prospect of having to keep their dogs from being able to roam freely on their land.