Lowndes Co. Animal Control Board

Purpose

The Animal Control Board of Lowndes County is responsible for conducting hearings when requested by the owner aggrieved by a decision of an Animal Control Officer with respect to classifying such owner's dog as a dangerous dog or a potentially dangerous dog, the reclassification of a potentially dangerous dog as a dangerous dog, or whether a vicious animal confiscated pursuant to the Animal Control Ordinance shall be destroyed. Except as otherwise provided in the Animal Control Ordinance, the hearings shall be requested on forms furnished by Animal Control within five (5)business days of receiving a notice of a right to request such hearing. If a person who has requested a hearing before the Animal Control Board fails to appear after receipt of the notice of the hearing, they shall be deemed to have abandoned the hearing request and the decision of the Animal Services Officer which was to be the subject of such hearing shall be affirmed and final. The owner of an animal requesting a hearing before the Animal Control Board shall pay the additional daily boarding and other fees as established in the Animal Control Ordinance. Failure to pay the fees and costs accessed against the owner, if affirmed by the Animal Control Board, shall constitute an abandonment of any claim to the animal and will result in the animal being disposed of as provided in the Ordinance. All decisions of the Animal Control Board may be appealed to a judicial court of competent jurisdiction within twenty (20) days of receiving notice of the Animal Control Board's decision.

Members

The Animal Control Board consists of six (6) members. Two (2) members are appointed by the County, two (2) members are appointed by the City, two (2) members are appointed from the Humane Society, and two (2) alternate members are appointed by either the unincorporated cities or the Humane Society. The alternates will be empowered to sit on the Animal Control Board in the absence of any member of the Animal Control Board. The Animal Control Board is divided into two (2) panels consisting of three (3) members. The panels shall alternate hearing days. The terms of the members shall be three (3) years and until a successor is appointed provided that the initial terms of the members may be for less than three (3) years so that the terms of the members of the Animal Control Board will be staggered. Members of the Animal Control Board do not receive compensation for their services. Two (2) members of the Animal Control Board shall constitute a quorum for a panel. A decision will be rendered by a majority vote of the members present. The panel hearing a matter within the jurisdiction of the Animal Control Board shall have the authority to continue or reschedule a hearing to a day and time certain. Said hearing may be continued or rescheduled by the action of one (1) member of the panel in the event there is no quorum.

Meetings

The meeting time and location for the Animal Control Board will be determined as necessary.

More Information

For more information, please contact Teresa Bolden, City Clerk, at (229) 259-3503 or E-mail or the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners at (229) 671-2400.