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Mayfield council tables dog-ordinance overhaul, asks for fee data and a work session
Summary
Staff and animal-control officer described repeat impound incidents and suggested options — escalating/doubling impound fees or a time-limited ban after multiple impounds; council moved the item to a work meeting to gather fee data and related costs.
The council heard an update Dec. 10 on proposed revisions to Mayfield’s dog/animal-control ordinance after several repeat impound incidents. Amanda, town staff, said animal-control officer Mark Hopkins recommended readdressing the ordinance because some dogs had been impounded multiple times — once in extreme cases up to seven or eight impounds.
Hopkins suggested options used by other cities, including doubling impound fees on successive offenses, or a time-limited prohibition on owning a pet after repeated impounds (Mark suggested a time limit such as six months following a fourth offense). Council members noted that increasing fees can make reclaiming animals expensive for owners and that the town should evaluate boarding and transport costs to determine whether strict penalties are operationally and fiscally sensible.
Council agreed to move the item to a work meeting to gather comparative fee data from neighboring jurisdictions, review boarding and transport costs, and draft concrete ordinance language for council consideration.
What’s next: Staff will bring fee comparisons and a proposed ordinance amendment to the first work meeting in January for detailed review.
