Jefferson town hall hears repeated calls to tighten leash, impound and breeding rules; no action taken

Jefferson’s city council hosted a town-hall session on animal regulations that centered on revising the leash law, addressing the city’s lack of an impound/quarantine facility, and expanding spay/neuter and microchip programs. The council opened the meeting as a listening session and took no formal action.

Several residents told the council loose dogs have restricted their ability to walk and exercise safely. “When we’re out in public, he gives her a warning prior to a seizure,” said Mickey Moore, who testified about the importance of a service dog for his daughter and described occasions when they have had to wait in the car because loose dogs made outings unsafe. Animal-control officers and rescue volunteers warned that the ordinance, as written, allows owners to rely on voice recall rather than physical restraint. “As our ordinance stands … as long as he can come to her when she calls, then she’s well within her purview to have him off that leash…