GENTRY — As a result of a new state law which went into effect July 1, the Gentry Police Committee took up the matter of adoption fees at a Monday meeting so that the city could again begin putting up dogs in its holding facility for adoption.

Senate Bill 550, now law, prohibits animal pounds, shelters, humane organizations or animal rescue groups from completing animal adoptions without first sterilizing the animals. Thus, before the city canpermit anyone to adopt an animal in its holding facility, it must have the dog neutered or spayed.

The new law, in effect, put adoption of animals from the city pound on hold until the council adopts a fee schedule to pay for the required procedure. Without set fees, the police department would be left with no choice butto euthanize abandoned animals when holding space became unavailable.

“I don’t want to be the grim reaper of Gentry, and neither does Todd (Gentry’s animal control officer),” said Gentry police chief Keith Smith, “but that’s where we’re headed.”

Current law requires anyone adopting a dog from the city to pay the animal’s impound fees, said Gentry mayor Kevin Johnston. Since someanimals are held for a long time, the cost to adopt can be prohibitive.

Also discussed was including a fee to implant microchips in animals adopted out so that owner information is available if the dog is ever lost or stolen. A suggestion of $8 was made at the meeting to cover the cost of the chips. Concern was voiced over the added time it would take to enter all the information for each animal into the database. Also of concern was timeto transport animals to a veterinarian for spay and neuter procedures.

The general consensus of committee members was to keep the adoption fees as low as possible to promote adoption and yet cover city expenses to spay or neuter the animals and implant microchips before adoption. A fee in the range of about $60 or $65 was discussed.

Official action on the matter of fees is expected to be requested at the Sept. 12 council meeting.

News, Pages 1 on 08/17/2011