Patrick Allen, Helena-West Helena code enforcement officer, addressed the city council Tuesday night about animal control ordinances for the city.
Helena-West Helena is still without an animal shelter and has issues with enforcing leash laws and animal registration fees.
Allen compiled plenty of data from 25 cities in the state and others in the nation. The information showed what laws those cities enforced.
“Every city we looked at had a designated animal control officer,” said Allen.
“Every city either had an animal shelter or networked with a shelter,” he added.
He explained that the other cities enforced leash, vaccination, registration and breed laws.
“We are at ground zero. We don’t have anything,” said Allen.
“We need to have a facility and someone to take care of the dogs,” responded Larry Wilson, city council member.
“Also accountability with the residents and the dogs,” added Allen.
“It’s going to take money,” said Joe St. Columbia, city council member.
“It’s going to take a lot of money,” replied Jay Hollowell, city council member.
Hollowell said that the Humane Society of the Delta needed to be involved with talks
about funding and reiterated his opinion that the HSD needed to take over animal control operations.
“I’m like the mayor, I don’t want to be in the dog businesses,” said St. Columbia.
City Clerk Sandi Ramsey said that there were “nominal fees” associated with registering a dog in the city.
“It’s going to take some long term planning,” said Hollowell.
Allen said that one thing all cities had in common was a person to take charge of the animal control responsibilities.
While the city struggles with the issue, the HSD has shut down their temporary shelter. The HSD still has some dogs in foster care looking for a home. They plan to resume a spay and neuter clinic in the spring but have suspended their animal shelter and are not looking to house any more strays.
