A New Jasper County Animal Control Officer Is On Duty
Elizabeth Rolfe, the Jasper County Animal Control Officer, reports the difficulties and details of her job: “After receiving a complaint, locating the owners of the animals is usually a problem, especially when they have no tags or collars. Then it becomes a door-to-door search and most people aren’t home during the day.”
Presently the procedure for registering a complaint is through the 911 center, which passes them on to Ms. Rolfe. “Probably,” Ms. Rolfe surmised, “when the new animal control center opens, citizens should be able to call directly to the center for assistance. We anticipate this to happen sometime around the first part of February, however, it’s still in the process of being built.
“The new center will be located directly behind the senior center and directly across from the 911 center on Mack Tillman Drive off Hwy. 212. Until the center is up and running we have a temporary arrangement to transfer animals to the Butts County Center.
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“The new facility will be a shelter with 14 indoor runs with separate sections for dogs, puppies and kittens. If someone has a pet they can no longer take care of they will be able to surrender it there and we will attempt to find it a home. It will also house abandoned animals and animals found at large. We will adopt out as many as possible.”
Currently Ms. Rolfe is staying quite busy. “We average getting about five complaints a day right now, but that count goes up during warm weather.
Also, we average getting about three reports a week for dog bites. In cases of a violation, the animal control officer has the authority and power to write a citation. The fine for a first offense is $210 and $420 for a second offense.
The most common violation is when an animal is being allowed to be “running at large” unattended by its owner. It is also unlawful to “abandon an animal” or show “cruelty to an animal.”
In addition, it is the duty of the owner of any
animal to ensure that the animal is confined by way of a fence or other enclosure, or is restrained by chain or leash and under the control of a competent person.
These Jasper Co. ordinances are adapted directly from the state laws covering animal control.
