Health director Robert Wittmann told the county commissioners Monday that a health board committee is studying methods to combat the rabies epidemic and how to raise money to hire more animal control officers. Besides fines, the committee is considering a recommendation to require that pet owners pay a fee to the county for a pet license. Wittmann said the committee is working out the details of its proposal, including how much to charge for licenses and fines. The board of health is expected to present its recommendations to the commissioners in August.
State law requires pets to be vaccinated against rabies.
But Wittmann said enforcing the law requires an animal control officer to gather evidence and present it to a magistrate to take a person to court. The officer must spend time in court waiting for the case to be heard. If a person is found guilty and fined, the money does not go to the county. We need to change our ordinance. He said the county's animal control ordinance could be changed to call for fines.