Charlotte council talks animal control policies




During their regular meeting on Feb. 14, Charlotte City Council discussed establishing a policy pertaining to animal pick-ups in a residential property. Mayor Buddy Daughtry said animals need to be captured by city animal control personnel only via trap on city property only, not private property. There are a lot problems involved with putting a cage on private property such as child going near the trapped animal and getting bit.

Council member Christi Rankin said if a resident says there is a dog loose in their yard and requests it be picked up, they need to sign a waiver saying the city workers can come onto the property and capture the animal properly.

City animal control worker, Jason Guerrero spoke his mind saying, “We went to training and know the proper way to take care of animals. If it’s between a person picking up a dog and bringing it to the street, I’d rather I be the one going onto the property and getting bit than the citizen.”

Mayor Daughtry said they needed to worry about the people of the property. He asked what the policy and procedure to picking up animals is right now. Guerrero stated they use traps. Mayor Daughtry then asked what the policy was in terms of picking up a stray animal on private property, to which the council said they didn’t think there was a set policy.

Municipal Court Judge, Maria Garcia suggested the city come up with a way for residents to put in a request, like a work order, for animal control to pick up animals. In the process, that resident needs to be present when they are there.

Rankin said again if the city receives a call out for them to capture an animal, residents should sign a waiver saying city workers can come onto the property and set a trap. If after a few days the animal isn’t captured, the city picks up the trap.

Mayor Daughtry then asked what the policy was when it came to an injured animal on private property. No one really knew what the policy was except that they adopted the same ordinance as the county.

Judge Garcia explained the reason this was on the agenda was due to an incident in which a resident claimed a city animal control worker killed an injured animal with a shovel on her property before taking it away the week prior.

Rankin said they needed to look back at the policy and ask the county what they do in the case of an injured animal on private property. Questions arose as to if the animal be taken to the vet by animal control, to the county shelter, or does the property owner take care of it? It was made clear, though, if the animal belongs to the resident, it is the owner’s responsibility, not the city’s.

Theodore Guerrero, the other city animal control worker, suggested the only other thing they could probably do is wear a body camera. Constable Rick Luna offered to help out with this matter. The council liked that suggestion, although they were sad it should have to come down to it.

A motion was made by Councilman Ricardo Garica to table the item for the next meeting after inquiring with the county to have a policy on picking up animals, wounded or not, on a residential property. Rankin seconded the motion and the council approved unanimously.

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