THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE

City directors have directed the police chief to research a “spay or pay” program as they continue to work on major changes to the city’s animal control ordinances.

The directors told Chief Kevin Lindsey during Tuesday’s study session to look at North Little Rock’s program that charges an annual $5 license fee for residents whose dogs have been spayed or neutered and $30 a year for others.

The directors have been working to amend Fort Smith’s animal control ordinance. Two of the draft ordinances have been voted on once and await second and third readings. Earlier this month, however, the directors voted to table the ordinances for six months to answer questions and uncertainties about the ordinances.

The ordinances, among other things, require the spaying or neutering of dogs and cats and that they be registered with the city annually for a fee.

On Tuesday, the directors rejected a proposal that a task force be formed to work out wrinkles in the proposed ordinances. The debate will remain with the board for now.

Director Pam Weber said she opposes the task force. She said police officials and the ordinances’ primary backers on the board of directors, Weber and Phil Merry, worked for months researching and drawing up the ordinances. She notedthat the directors have had several presentations and discussions on the issue over the past several months.

Merry said he would consider removing portions of the ordinance, such as mandatory registration, as long as the ordinances retained the requirements to spay and neuter dogs and cats and to require rabies vaccinations.

He said time debating the issue was being lost as the problem of rabies grows in the community. Several rabid skunks have been discovered in Fort Smith recently.

Some directors balked at the mandatory aspects of the ordinances. Director Don Hutchings said he doesn’t like the idea that police officers might be authorized to go door-todoor to check owners’ pets.

Director Kevin Settle wondered if the ordinance could be enforced without adding to police costs and duties.

Director Andre Good said his constituents in north Fort Smith don’t mind paying a fee of $5 a year but oppose increased government control over their lives.

North Little Rock’s animal control officer, Bill Grace, addressed the directors Tuesday about that city’s program and answered questions.

He said North Little Rock provides incentive to have pets sterilized. He said the city penalizes the owners of runaway dogs who refuse to have them spayed or neutered. Owners are charged $100 to get the dog out of the shelter once if they refuse to have the animal spayed or neutered. The second offense is $200 and the third offense costs $300.

If the owner consents to having the dog spayed or neutered, he isn’t charged to retrieve the dog, although he has to pay the cost of sterilization.