Marion County is facing more dog problems.
While they have an agreement through the end of the year to hold dogs picked up by animal control it doesn’t include puppies, dogs that appear sick or vicious dogs. In addition, County Animal Control Officer Ken Ferguson has to hold dogs until they are inoculated before they are accepted at the Barking Lot.
The committee doesn’t believe it’s legal to have Ferguson keep the dogs at his home, so they are once again looking for a building that could eventually become the full animal control facility. As a result, they want to once again move quickly to find a building. A special meeting could be called if the committee settles on a building.
Committee member Dr. Michael Douglas says the costs are unstainable for even dogs taken to the Barking Lot. He says the inoculations cost $250 for every dog, even those that the county will not be able to re-home. The Barking Lot kennel costs adds hundreds of dollars more.
The committee was told the line item to house dogs is already at 81-percent for the entire year that continues through November 30th. Vet services are already several hundred percent over budget. And the committee realizes if they set up their own facility, they likely will need more help to run it.
But once the county is housing all their own animals, the shots will not be required.
Ferguson says some of the vet costs are being covered by adoption fees. The county has also once again started charging for the return of dogs running at large. In all, $3,000 has been collected this year compared to the $14,000 in vet bills.
Marion County Board Chair Steve Whritenour says the board will eventually have to amend the budget.
