COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - The Columbus Animal Advisory Board is working to rewrite 26 pages of city ordinances addressing ongoing animal welfare concerns in the fountain city, with advocates pushing for immediate solutions to shelter overcrowding.
The advisory board has met several times in recent months to tackle ordinances covering tethering, overbreeding and litter dumping. Animal advocate Mimi Steger with Columbus Animal Allies said the community has witnessed the severity of the capacity crisis firsthand.
“Once you’ve seen how bad things can be, you can’t unsee it,” Steger said. “I think the frustration is the capacity crisis is ongoing.”
Proposed litter registry ordinance
Steger said Columbus should adopt a litter registry ordinance requiring dogs and cats to have only one litter per year unless owned by a licensed breeder.
“There is a huge feeling in the community to support PAWS efforts in doing this,” Steger said. “A key component of that is looking at these long term capacity issues. One of the suggestions is a liter registry ordinance.”
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However, Ethelyn Riley, chair of the Animal Services Advisory Board, said legal concerns may complicate some proposed measures. She said the board has discussed mandated spay and neuter ordinances with the district attorney.
“There are some counties in Georgia that have passed mandated spay and neuter ordinances,” Riley said. “We’ve talked to our district attorney about that and he’s a little questionable that this might be breaking some constitutional boundaries.”
Current animal care efforts
Despite ongoing challenges, Riley said animals at PAWS Humane Society remain in good hands with dedicated volunteer support.
“The dogs have much, much better lives,” Riley said. “We have volunteers who work with them on a daily basis, getting them accustomed to not being a stray anymore.”
The board has not announced a timeline for completing the ordinance rewrites.
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