Carroll County keeps record open for 10 days after wide public comment on proposed animal-control changes

Carroll County Commissioners closed oral testimony but left the public record open for 10 days on proposed amendments to Chapter 90, the county—s animal-control ordinance, after several residents, animal-welfare volunteers and the county humane society made lengthy statements at a public hearing Aug. 7.

The hearing drew volunteers and citizens who care for community cat colonies, representatives of local spay-and-neuter clinics and the director of the Carroll County Humane Society. Karen Baker, director of the Carroll County Humane Society, told commissioners the shelter "has the ability to care for approximately 70 cats within our building" and said the proposed ordinance changes are intended to allow the county to address unowned cats "out in the field." Baker said the humane society—s goal in suggesting licensing and registration is to identify colony locations and caregivers so the organization can protect and serve those animals and to generate revenues that could be returned as spay/neuter grants.

The proposed revisions discussed at the hearing would add explicit authority for TNR (trap-neuter-return) management of cat colonies, create a licensing/registration approach for colonies and caretakers, and clarify rules about excessive dog barking, tethering and restraint. Commissioners were presented with a range of public comments and some technical changes suggested by staff to how the county…