Rmimmcnclalion ff4. SlAllvWIDH ANIMAL CONI ROL. 



I lie coniniiltcc rvccivcil inlonnMlion Ilia! lahics cases have recently occurretl in 

 neiglihoiing slates, and that lahies in lox and sknnk have heen reported in Alleghany 

 Ouinly. Cnrrently. state pnhlic health laws provide hir the impoundment of animals 

 which may not have heen vaccinated lor rahies. and, althongh almost every county has 

 an animal shelter or poiiiul. or contracts with another county lor animal control, there 

 are some counties without any animal control capability. Because ol the potential lor 

 the spread ol rahies to domesticateil animals, the committee recommends that counties 

 have .some capability to impound animals which may not have been vaccinated. 



The dralt bill includes n .section which would require all counties to either operate 

 an animal control lacility. or contract to use such a lacility. Previous law. since 

 repealed, required county commissioners to establish and maintain a dog pound in each 

 county in which a dog warden had been appointed. The committee decided that to 

 require counties to build a new facility might create a llnancial burden on some counties. 

 In addition, .several counties are already addressing animal control by contracting. For 

 example. Polk County contracts with Riitheilord County lor the use of its animal pound, 

 arul the Polk County Animal Coiiliol Ollicer is paid by Rutherford County. Polk County 

 paid .$24,117.00 to the l>isliict Health Ollke in Rutherford County, which manages the 

 animal control program. Ashe County has an animal control officer, and lacility needs 

 are by contract with Watauga County. 



The provision for funding enloicemeni ol the Animal Welfare Act. as outlined in 

 Recommendation #5. inchules a method for providing llnancial assistance to counties for 

 improvement of current facilities, or to assist a county or counties in capital outlay for 

 new construction (see recommendation #b). 



II 



