Crossville Council hears from animal advocacy group about need for ordinance updates

Meeting in work session, the Crossville city council talked about forming a task force to consider updates to animal control ordinances as suggested by local animal organization Time 4 Paws.

In addition, council discussed a proposal from the fire department on the purchase of two new frontline fire apparatus that could save the taxpayers $162,000.

Also, the council will consider a memorandum of understanding with a company that helps cities find ways to reduce energy costs and use the savings to pay for other types of improvements.

Karen McMeekin with A Time 4 Paws addressed the council about updates to the city's animal control ordinances. She said that the goal was to reduce the kill rate of animals in the community and to reduce animal abuse cases and see that abusers are penalized.

Karen McMeekin, founder of A Time 4 Paws

shared a photo of a dog on a chain with council

members during the October work session.

McMeekin explained that the community could be recognized as a no-kill community if the number of animals killed was 10 percent or less. She said that it is impossible to drop that number to 0 percent as some animals cannot be saved due to injury or illness.

According to McMeekin, when she first moved to Crossville she told the council the live release rate (animals that went to their owners home of to rescues) was only 10 to 15 percent. She said now the rate was between 85 and 85 percent.

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The purpose of A Time 4 Paws is to provide education and programs to the community and to assist the animal shelter in reducing the number of animals being killed. The group has not received any city funding in the 12 years it has operated and is not currently seeking any.

The city's current ordinances are very outdated and need language updated and improved McMeekin told the council. She added that they would not be attractive to new residents moving here.

The ordinances the group is proposing the council look at include limiting the amount of time an animal can be kept on a chain or wire run (wire between 2 trees with a traveling chain to give a dog a little more run then chained to a tree) as it can make an animal more dangerous. The group an assist with helping families with dog houses, fence building and other ways they can improve the dog's living condition.

Additional ordinances would cover a community cat program where feral cat communities are cared for, animals are marked, vaccinated and fixed and then don't have to be caught or otherwise become a burden on animal control. In addition an ordinance on rescue organizations and what they can do to assist with the animal problem.

Council discussed the formation of a task force that would include members of A Time 4 Paws, other animal groups and the city manager to review the current ordinances one at a time and bring back recommendations to the council at a future time.