Council adopts first reading of new animal services ordinance after extended debate over TNR, microchipping and fees

Greenwood’s City Council approved the first reading of Ordinance 23-11 on Feb. 2, a repeal-and-replace of the city’s animal services rules that aims to streamline animal registration, expand mobile microchipping and formalize a caretaker exemption for community cat caregivers.

Chief Brad Hobbs presented the draft ordinance as an effort to align city code with state law, improve online and mobile registration and reduce city costs associated with housing and rehoming animals. "We’re really not wanting somebody to have to register a dog over and over every year," the Chief said, describing plans for a one-time online registration and a mobile service to microchip animals at a reduced rate to help reunite pets with owners.

The ordinance would allow mobile pet registration (staff visit to register and take a microchip), a caretaker exemption for people feeding or caring for community cats, and new enforcement tools including microchip scanners placed at park locations. The draft fee schedule discussed in council included a $15 registration fee and a $25 microchipping charge; council members floated the option of waiving the registration fee for owners who accept on-site microchipping.

Council and members of the public spent more than an hour probing details. Council members asked whether existing registrants would be grandfathered or forced to re-register, how volunteers would be identified (badges or vests were discussed), whether senior discounts apply, and how enforcement would work for cats (which are harder to trace than dogs). The Chief said the city will not handle cash on mobile visits; payment would use online systems and the city is exploring scanners and signage to support reuniting found animals with owners.

A substantial portion of the discussion centered on TNR (trap-neuter-return). Supporters said TNR reduces breeding and public nuisances; a panelist and some council members said local TNR volunteers have reduced colony sizes in subdivisions. One speaker who identified as a biologist urged caution, arguing feral cats can harm wildlife and raise disease concerns. The Chief and other council members responded that the city's limited budget makes TNR and microchipping pragmatic complements to enforcement and that humane euthanasia is costly and not a scalable solution for uncontrolled populations.

Council requested edits to clarify registration frequency, the number-of-animals rules in rural/acreage settings, and a clearer reference to the ordinance number in section headings. After discussion, Councilman Terry moved and a second was given to adopt the ordinance on first reading by title only. The roll-call vote was unanimous: Acy Brown — yes; Ralph Maker — yes; Tim Terry — yes; Roger Rainwater — yes; Steve Tedford — yes; Mr. Pow — yes. The ordinance now proceeds toward subsequent readings.

The ordinance text as presented allows contingency edits and asked staff to return with refined language on grandfathering, scanner deployment, volunteer identification, and the microchipping/registration fee structure before final readings.