FAYETTEVILLE, Tenn. — City staff told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Jan. 9 they are developing formal animal control policies and taking steps to ensure the municipal shelter is prepared for an incoming winter storm.

City administration said the city assumed animal-control responsibilities with the county in October 2024 and has focused first on operations and equipment; officials said the next phase is policy development to clarify call priorities and responses. “We're looking at policies…we're taking notes of what has happened over this past year to see where the policies need to do,” administration staff said.

Nut graf: Officials described the current approach as an interim operational model while staff draft formal policies; shelter staff said they had about 32 animals in care and outlined winter staffing and heating concerns that could affect the shelter’s ability to operate during severe weather.

Laura (animal control leadership) and other staff said the shelter currently houses 32 animals and has adequate food and water. Staff reported that heating problems at the facility have been intermittent but that personnel live close enough to reach the shelter in severe conditions. In a previous winter, shelter workers reported trouble accessing the building because parking areas iced; public works and city staff said they would prioritize clearing shelter access during a storm.

Officials said they will review policies, consult the humane society’s examples, and present draft policies through committee before bringing them to the full board.

Ending: The city will finalize policy proposals for committee review and has planned practical winter measures — staffing, heating checks and prioritized parking lot clearing — to keep the shelter operational during the storm.