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Residents say petting farm’s conditions endanger neighbors; commissioners pledge ordinance changes
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Summary
Residents and animal-control staff told Fannin County commissioners that the unlicensed Hooves and Feathers petting farm has produced repeated safety and animal-welfare complaints, and county officials said they will work with the county attorney to draft livestock and licensing ordinances to close enforcement gaps.
Christie Canary, a resident and witness in an ongoing court case, told the Fannin County Board of Commissioners that animal-control had issued 43 summonses in an investigation of Hooves and Feathers, a petting-farm attraction, and that she believes enforcement so far has been insufficient. "This is now the third commissioner meeting which I have spoken at about the same public safety and animal safety concerns," Canary said.
Multiple residents recounted attacks on pets and near-misses with people, including a description of a pig mauling and dogs chasing animals onto neighbors’ property. One speaker warned, "Someone is going to be killed by one of those animals," underscoring residents’ fear for public safety.
County staff and the animal-control officer said their enforcement options are limited because, as discussed at the meeting, there is currently no county ordinance specifically covering livestock running at large that a magistrate could enforce. Staff also said the Georgia Department of Agriculture regulates only licensed operations; if a business does not obtain a license, department oversight may not apply. As a result, staff told the board there is an enforcement gap for unlicensed petting farms.
Commissioners pressed staff to draft ordinance changes to address livestock-at-large and licensing gaps and to coordinate with the county attorney and sheriff’s office. One commissioner said the county should pursue two readings and enact ordinances as soon as practicable so judges have clearer enforcement tools.
The board did not vote on emergency enforcement at the meeting but directed staff to move forward with drafting ordinance language and to involve 911, county legal staff and animal-control in a plan to accelerate enforcement options. The meeting record shows commissioners and staff acknowledged the issue’s complexity—some actions may require state-level clarification or additional legislation—but they committed to local ordinance reform as a near-term remedy.
The commissioners adjourned after public comment; no formal vote on ordinance language was taken at this session.
