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Residents and volunteers defend county rescuer, call for spay-and-neuter and licensing changes
Summary
Multiple residents and volunteers urged the county to support Clifford's Army Rescue (CARE), defended volunteer rescue activity from complaints and asked commissioners to consider a spay-and-neuter ordinance and clearer shelter licensing enforcement.
Supporters of Clifford's Army Rescue urged Cleveland County commissioners on Tuesday to back the group's work and consider steps to curb backyard breeding and improve animal-welfare enforcement.
At least five speakers described the rescue's work and pushed the county to back nonprofit partnerships, licensing and ordinances. Mark Herndon, a neighbor, called Tammy Freeman’s work with CARE “rescuing abused, neglected, and abandoned animals” and said dogs at the site were “vetted” and cared for before adoption. Barbara Ward said CARE volunteers rescued thousands of animals in cooperation with other groups and that county euthanasia rates had “been shocking.”
The quick nut of supporters’ arguments was that CARE is saving animals that otherwise would be euthanized, that volunteers vet and spay/neuter animals before adoption, and that the county should focus enforcement on large-scale backyard breeders rather than stopping rescue operations. “If Tammy’s efforts are put to an end, hundreds of animals will die,” Mark Herndon said.
Volunteers and adopters described individual outcomes. Mott Davis, who identified herself as a CARE adopter, said the rescue delivered a “vetted” and vaccinated dog in good condition and that home inspections were performed before adoption. Tammy Freeman, who identified herself as the caretaker at the property often cited in complaints, said she is “working directly… with the state” to obtain a shelter license and described the licensing process as lengthy, saying she was “on my fourth coat of sealer on my concrete” as part of meeting state requirements. Freeman also urged the county to adopt a spay-and-neuter ordinance to discourage backyard breeders she said are contributing to the problem.
Speakers repeatedly sought clarity about which county rules apply. Several said they were being criticized for rescuing animals while commercial breeders were allowed to operate. Freeman described overhearing a breeder boasting of “28 breeding dogs and 4 litters on the ground,” and urged the county to consider ordinances targeted at such breeding operations.
The public-comment forum did not include an official county response to these requests during the meeting. No board action on CARE, spay-and-neuter ordinances or shelter licensing occurred on Tuesday; supporters asked commissioners to investigate policy options and to consider nonprofit partnerships to improve transparency and reduce costs to taxpayers.
The comments came during the meeting’s public-comment period and were not part of a formal agenda item. Commissioners acknowledged the speakers and thanked CARE volunteers for their work.
Supporters said they will continue outreach and requested patience as Freeman pursues state shelter licensing and as the county evaluates enforcement and ordinance options.
