Agenda - 09-22-2008 - 2 - Laserfiche WebLink

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~3 PUBLIC COMMENT: Lori Hensley is a volunteer on the Coalition to Unchain Dogs and she said that they build fences for owners of dogs that cannot afford them. The coalition also provides free spay and neuter and vaccinations for the pets. She said that this type of ordinance gives Animal Control another tool for enforcement. She said that most people want better for their dogs, but they need to be shown that there is a better way to do things. She read an email from the neighbor of a person who received a fence from the coalition for a dog that was continuously chained in Chapel Hill. °I just have to tell you that your civilizing Neptune has also civilized the entire family. Now whenever I stop by to see my neighbor, Neptune is either sitting on the front porch with a family member, playing in the house, or when he sees my car coming running down the stairs to greet and kiss me. He even has his meals inside now and sleeps beside the bed. See how the beauty of your work spreads to others. So much abuse and neglect are due to just plain ignorance, are they not?" She said that this is not the only situation where the Coalition has helped dogs. She asked the County Commissioners to approve the ordinance to limit the chaining of dogs. Henri McClees is a lobbyist for the North Carolina Sporting Dog Association, which is a coalition of dog owners, dog breeders, and dog clubs. She said that the membership's philosophy is that animals do not have rights, but people have rights and responsibilities. They do not believe that this proposal meets the needs of the animals, and they are certain that it does not meet the needs of the people. She said that it is a bad idea, it is not needed, it is not fair, and it is bad public policy. She said that this same concept was debated in a Senate committee in the legislature, but the bill never got out of committee. She said that inhumane treatment of animals is already against the law. She asked the County Commissioners to consider cautiously looking at this from the attitude and the positions of the citizens. She questioned the assumption that tethering is mistreatment of animals. Jason Payne is a member of the Eno River Coon Hunters Association. He said that he and his father have raised and trained dogs since he was 15 years old, and they tether their dogs, but they also exercise them and take care of them. He is opposed to this amendment because he does not believe that the descriptions in the amendment would accomplish what people are trying to accomplish, which is better treatment of animals. Lamar Chapman lives in Orange County and said that he has numerous dogs and most are not tethered. The ones that are tethered chew through a fence. He said that he has been to all of the committee meetings and the committee is not listening to the citizens of Orange County. He said that most of the people that are supporting this ordinance are not from Orange County. He said that people are scared of speaking tonight because of Animal Control coming to their property. He said that the people of unincorporated Orange County are not even aware of this proposal. He showed some pictures that someone else had brought of dogs that were chained and the collars were not embedded and the dogs were healthy. He suggested having another public meeting. George Painter is President of the Eno River Coon Hunters Association. He said that this is a people problem, not a dog problem, and there needs to be education of dog owners on the treatment of dogs. He said that a person that neglects an animal will neglect it no matter if it is on a chain or in a kennel. He said that the County Commissioners should spend more time and better time on other problems in the County than passing more laws that will not help dogs or the animal control problems. 15