The Marion County Board’s Community Relations Committee continues to try and come up with a ticketing system for those who regularly let their dogs run at large on other people’s property causing problems.
Animal Control Officer Ken Ferguson reported Wednesday night there is nothing in the state law setting the level of fines. He reports the $25 fee charged earlier in the county was to retrieve dogs from the animal pound and was kept low so owners would come get their dogs.
Ferguson and the committee feel a fine of just $25 would not be enough to curtail issues with problem dogs.
Ferguson and Committee Chair Bill Henson will seek an appointment with State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth to come up with an acceptable schedule for fines. The information will be brought back to next month’s committee meeting for further consideration.
Ferguson announced there is nothing the county can do about feral cats running at large. He reports the issue is not dealt with in state law. Ferguson says the only exception will be made if they can capture a cat that is believed to have bitten someone so it can be quarantined to check for rabies.
