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Montgomery County court tables animal shelter fee increase after debate over first-time charges
Summary
After an extended debate about whether quick, first-time pet reclaims should incur fees, the Montgomery County court voted to table a proposed amendment that would raise reclaim fees to $25/$50/$100 and impose daily boarding fees, sending the measure back for more work.
The Montgomery County court on Feb. 18 tabled a proposed amendment to the county animal shelter's reclaim and boarding fees after members said they needed clearer timelines and exemptions for first-time quick reclaims.
Court members discussed a draft amendment that would set reclaim fees at $25 for the first reclaim, $50 for a second reclaim and $100 for a third and subsequent reclaims, with daily boarding fees applying after the mandatory five-day hold required by state statute. The court's draft references KRS 258.215 (hold requirements) when describing the five-day mandatory hold before an animal may be declared county property.
The proposal prompted questions about how the policy would treat an owner who immediately reclaims a dog after a neighbor or animal control brings it in. "If my dog gets out and a neighbor takes it to you guys, it's $25 right off the bat," one commissioner asked, seeking a practical timeline and whether some reclaims could be waived. A county staff member replied that under the current policy "if your dog gets out today, it gets brought to the shelter ... and citizen comes and reclaim that dog is $25 right then," and that the amendment's purpose was to raise repeat reclaim amounts to deter habitual escapes.
Officials discussed possible alternatives, including a short express-reclaim window (24'48 hours) for owners who immediately retrieve animals and waivers for microchipped pets reclaimed before intake at the shelter. Staff noted the county sometimes waives fees when microchips enable immediate reunification without the animal entering the shelter.
After extended discussion and several requests for clearer language and timelines, Commissioner Ralph Charles moved to table the amendment so staff and the court could finalize details; Commissioner Shane Parker seconded. The motion carried by voice vote and the item was postponed to the next monthly meeting for further work.
The court was shown the proposed fee schedule and the current practice during the discussion, but did not adopt the amendment; no final fee changes were approved on Feb. 18. The court directed staff to return with clarified language about the first-time reclaim timeline, conditions for fee waivers and the precise boarding-fee schedule for formal consideration.
