New law means shelter will have to keep animals longer

Credit: Jennifer Frew | The News Herald

A group of beagles await their fate at the Burke County Animal Shelter in Morganton on Tuesday. Thousands of stray and lost animals are taken to the shelter each year.

By Sharon Mcbrayer
Published: December 26, 2009

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MORGANTON --

A state law that goes into effect Jan. 1 will likely cause the county to expand its animal control shelter.
N.C. Senate Bill 467 says it is an act that will help owners find lost pets, make adoptions easier and "relieve overcrowding at animal shelters."
But Burke County Animal Control Lt. Steve Massey said the bill will do just the opposite. He believes it will cause the county to have to triple its animal shelter's capacity.
That's because the bill requires animal shelters to hold all animals for at least 72 hours.
According to a county ordinance, if an animal has no known owners, animal control has to keep it for five days. But not feral cats or animals that are turned over by their owners.
Cats that have gone back to their wild roots are considered feral, Massey said. Any feral cats that animal control picks up are euthanized that day, he said. So are animals whose owners surrender them to animal control, he said.
Now they will have to keep them at least three days, according to the new state law.
The current animal shelter has space to hold 35 dogs and it has 12 slots for cats. That number can go down depending on whether they have a dog that can't be housed with others due to illness or temperament, Massey said.
In 2008, the county animal control shelter took in 6,024 animals, said Sheriff John McDevitt. Massey said in June, July and August of this year, animal control took in 800 animals a month — about 40 a day.
While it will cause the county to have to expand its shelter, Massey said the state will have to work with them until they can make some accommodations to comply with the law.
County Manager Ron Lewis said he found out about the law about two months ago through the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.
While Lewis expects the state will work with the county on compliance, he acknowledges the county will need more shelter space. But he's not sure the shelter's current building on Kirksey Drive would be conducive to expansion.
Lewis said county staff will have to look into the issue and report options to the county commissioners. He said the issue also will be addressed during the upcoming budget season.