ANSON COUNTY — Following a discussion held by the Anson County Board of Commissioners last month regarding the ongoing issue of animal control enforcement, it was decided to leave managing the stray animal population under the control of Wadesboro law enforcement as it was believed at the time Wadesboro had a currently unenforced leash law on its books.
Seeking to push back on this decision, Wadesboro Councilman Garrett Snuggs, said Tuesday “I feel that animal control is a county-wide issue. I received a call last week in regard to an incident in Lilesville in regard to a dog trespassing and killing animals on a farmer’s property. You mentioned that Wadesboro should be responsible for hiring and funding animal control officer for just this town, so how would that positively impact an incident that is happening in Lilesville? Or Burnsville? Or Morven? How would an officer funded by Wadesboro be able to adequately respond to incidents that will happen throughout the county, that is one issue.”
Another issue, according to Snuggs, is the counties surrounding Anson all rely on their sheriff’s office to police the animal populations in their counties. He questioned why Anson County is not keeping up with its neighbors when it comes to what he sees as standard modern day enforcement practices.
Snuggs said “We had an incident in Wadesboro last week. A stray dog with a chain entered into the Tractor Supply building right here in town, had officers respond and take time from not doing law enforcement activities but do animal control, seized the dog but had nowhere to take the dog to. How do we respond to these issues moving forward? Again, it is not a Wadesboro issue. It is an Anson County issue and I feel like Anson County Commissioners should address the issue expeditiously because our citizens deserve these types of services to be implemented properly.”
At the conclusion of Councilman Snugg’s words, Chairman Jamie Caudle reminded him the town of Wadesboro has a leash law on the books that is still not being enforced.
Caudle said “According to Wadesboro’s town ordinance Wadesboro says they are responsible for animal control. Now I know at your last meeting y’all were discussing changing your ordinance, and that is a different discussion we can have at a later date.”
Wadesboro Town Manager Wiley Ross Jr., who was present for the meeting, backed up Snuggs, adding “In North Carolina the majority of animal control is handled by the counties and not small towns. I did too watch the meeting from last week and the town of Wadesboro was mentioned several times and my name was mentioned serval times so this is only fitting that I am here today.” He continued, saying “There is an agreement that was instituted in 2017, and then it was in 2019 it went into another agreement as well. What is says is that the town of Wadesboro has contracted in Anson County through animal control services. It says it has two four-year terms — which basically says that starting in 2019, and it goes for two four-year terms, which goes to 2027.”
Ross reiterated to commissioners the town of Wadesboro does not have the capacity to have an animal control division. “Our police officers are not equipped; they are not trained properly. So, there is the agreement — look under the terms, you will see the terms of the agreement, so to kind of put this to rest, so the viewing public can see that the town of Wadesboro has been enforcing our ordinance. We have.”
He pointed out to Commissioner Caudle that while in the process of enforcing the town’s leash law ordinance, two Wadesboro police officers were bitten.
Ross said “We want to work with the county- you see the agreement in front of you. We are doing everything we can to make sure that we work with the county. We will definitely have our officers work with the animal control officers and enforce the ordinance and get the dog and take it to them, and do everything we can, but we are doing what we are supposed to do. Absolutely we are enforcing our ordinance, and we have our agreement with the county for them to provide animal control services, which is pretty much provided throughout the state by the counties.”
Responding to the revelation of the long forgotten about agreement, Caudle said “This is the first time [and] we have been discussing this issue for how long- this is the first time we have seen it, and so if this is in place, absolutely, we will abide by it. It also says compensation, has that been made? I don’t know.”
Answering, Ross said “If we are owed, if there is a bill, bill us. I will make sure it is taken care of. The bottom line is that all of you folks are from Anson County, I am an outsider, you’ve been here your whole life. This has been a problem here for several years, more than ten years, this ain’t new, right? So, it is easy to say when a new guy comes to town- ‘Here, handle this, this is your fault.’ But we are doing our job. I make sure my officers are absolutely enforcing the ordinance.”
Ross explained he discover the agreement while researching the matter on behalf of citizens who have contacted his office seeking a resolution to the matter in recent weeks. Knowing the history of this issue is lengthy for the county, Ross said he knew either the town or the county must have put an agreement in writing at some point over the years.
“I said there just has to be something in writing, and lo and behold there is, we found it,” said Ross. He added, “We have to work together, that is what leadership is- it’s working together and that is what we are going to do. We are going to work together with the county to solve these issues.”
Caudle responded “Well, I appreciate you finding it and presenting it to us. This is the first time I have seen it and I know we have been discussing this for two or three months now.”
Following the meeting, the Anson Record reached out to Sheriff Scott Howell, who issued the following statement and explanation of the law as it pertains to North Carolina animal control responsibilities:
“There are state laws that mandate several different avenues on and about animal control. State law mandates local government action in three main areas: rabies control, animal adoption and dangerous dogs in that agency’s own jurisdiction. If the Town of Wadesboro entered a contract with the County of Anson, then that is who needs to negotiate the contract. It appears that the contract is an older one and it should be looked at on both sides to see if the funds have been paid yearly and if the county and town has abided by all the rules and attachments. I’m sure that nowhere in the town’s contract does it say anything about the Anson County Sheriff’s Office having duties of animal control within the city limits.
“Most people think animal control is supposed to be under the Sheriff’s Office or the County Health Department. This is not the case. Animal control is its own agency in the county. However, there are times when the health department and the sheriff’s office are called into assist animal control in case of animal abuse or a case of rabies as two examples.
“When a Wadesboro Town Council Member addressed County Commissioners at their last meeting, he misspoke on what surrounding sheriff’s offices do for animal control. Richmond and Montgomery Counties do not oversee animal control. Union County oversees animal control in the county but not in Monroe City limits. Union does provide limited animal control services to Marshville. Monroe pays approximately $25,000 a year to the county to provide sheltering services. Stanly County, Councilman Snuggs’ home county, does all animal control services for the entire county, but they are currently looking at ways of charging the towns for individual calls for service.
“If the town had an animal control unit, I would not expect it to go into the county, Lilesville, Burnsville or Morven, ECT. to provide animal control services. It seems like some would like the Anson County Sheriff’s Office to do the jobs they won’t do or say they can’t afford to do. If we are doing all the extra jobs others want us to do then we are not providing law enforcement services to the citizens of Anson County and that is my job and concern. Under the current contract, it also states the ‘Town police officer shall be present to actually enforce the ordinance.’
“I have had county commissioners and citizens ask me why I don’t want to take over the responsibilities of trapping, capturing or transferring dogs to the Anson County Animal Shelter. As has been stated many times, I am a dog lover. I can’t imagine a life without a dog. The thought of taking a dog to the animal shelter, when there is a chance, the dog can or will be put down is something I personally cannot be involved in.”
