Committee raises Williamson County Animal Center trap deposit to $100 to encourage returns

The Williamson County Public Health Committee approved a resolution on April 2, 2026, to change the trap 'rental' from a $50 refundable deposit to a $100 refundable deposit for humane traps managed by the Williamson County Animal Center. Andrea, who led the item, said the higher deposit is intended to motivate people to return traps rather than keep them.

Andrea told the committee that $50 had not been a sufficient incentive for returns: “$50 was not enough incentive to bring the trap back,” she said, and noted the Animal Center spent about $5,000 replacing traps this year. She said the county uses professional traps that are higher-quality than retail options and that a comparable trap at Tractor Supply costs about $80.

The chair asked whether the fee should be considered a deposit rather than a rental; Andrea responded that it is a deposit and that customers receive the money back when they return the trap. Committee members discussed the possibility of a deposit versus a rental fee, the comparative retail price, and whether the change would affect other budget items. A voice vote was taken and the committee approved the resolution in committee (no roll-call tally was provided in the record).

The change will make the refundable deposit $100; the resolution was advanced by committee. The committee did not record a formal roll-call tally in the transcript; meeting audio shows members voicing 'aye' in support and no member called for a recorded roll call. The item will proceed according to normal county procedures for resolutions approved in committee.

Next steps: the resolution will follow the county’s standard post-committee routing for final approval or implementation.