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Residents and rescue groups urge Rutherford County to overhaul animal control after repeated complaints
Summary
More than two dozen residents, rescue directors and volunteers urged the Board of Commissioners to reform animal control and shelter operations, citing nonresponse to complaints, apparent legal misunderstandings, and the need to appoint experienced leadership and volunteer cruelty investigators.
Dozens of residents and animal welfare volunteers addressed the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners on Monday to urge immediate reforms to county animal control and shelter operations.
Speakers representing volunteer rescues and advocacy groups described repeated failures to respond to reports of animal neglect and cruelty, alleged gaps in enforcement, and concerns about shelter operations under the health department. "These cases fall on deaf ears, and they are not being taken seriously," said Debbie Anderson, vice president of the Humane Society, who described the authority given by state law for cruelty investigators and asked why the county had not used that approach. "Why do we not have this in this county?"
Several volunteers and local rescue directors cited examples they said showed delayed or no response to reports: callers saying phones at animal control go unanswered; field reports not followed up; and animals arriving at volunteer shelters after being turned away. "Half the community call me," Anderson said, describing residents seeking help when animal control does not respond.
Debbie McLawhorn, founder of Southern Paws Animal Rescue and a retired lieutenant and SWAT commander, urged elected officials to demand accountability from law enforcement and animal control after the widely publicized "Bostick" case. She cited a recent Court of Appeals decision she said clarifies investigative authority for animal control and urged staff to familiarize themselves with that law. "This is totally unacceptable and an embarrassment," she said of how that case was handled.
Volunteers emphasized the workload carried by local nonprofits: Heart of the Foothills Rescue reported taking in hundreds of animals and performing hundreds of spay/neuter surgeries for residents with no government funding. "They do so much work for the animal rescue community," speaker Laura Powell said.
Speakers proposed several remedies: appointing a shelter director with animal-welfare experience, turning animal control into a standalone county department with adequate staffing and competitive pay, recruiting and authorizing volunteer cruelty investigators under state law, and enforcing existing ordinances consistently.
Board members acknowledged the concerns and said the topic merited follow-up. The commissioners did not take immediate formal action on the shelter system during the meeting. Several speakers said they remain willing to assist the county to rework practices and enforcement.
Public comments on animal control took up a significant portion of the meeting.
