County makes spay, neuter vouchers available

Proceeds from the county's voluntary tax for animal control services are funding $50 spay and neuter vouchers now available at the Garland County Sheriff's Department.

The vouchers are accepted by seven veterinary locations and are available at the sheriff's department, 525 Ouachita Ave., Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They can also be used for rabies vaccinations.

Applicants are required to show proof of Garland County residency and can use one voucher every six months. According to the county's news release, pets that are fixed live healthier, longer lives and have fewer behavioral problems.

The $10 voluntary tax is listed on real and personal property tax bills. Enabled by the passage of a November 2016 ordinance, it raised $156,918 during the 2016 tax year, the county tax collector's office said.

The Hot Springs Board of Directors will consider an ordinance tonight allowing the city manager to lower animal adoption fees for reputable nonprofit placement organizations and during special adoption events. Per the city's animal control code, adoption fees are $55 for dogs and $35 for cats. The city's 2018 budget projects $25,000 in annual adoption fee revenue.

Police Chief Jason Stachey said he plans to meet with representatives of Happi Dog Animal Rescue next month. The Memphis-based organization finds homes for rescue-shelter dogs. Stachey said the group specializes in placing larger, older dogs that don't get adopted with the same frequency as younger, smaller dogs.

"They have expressed a very strong desire to come adopt multiple older dogs from our facility and place them in homes across the country," Stachey told the board last week. "We feel this move will definitely put a lot of animals into loving homes and get them out of our shelter."

Stachey said the lower fees would apply to nonprofit placement groups the department has vetted, including the Humane Society of Garland County and Stop Animal Cruelty in Hot Spring and Garland Counties.

"It's for nonprofit, reputable rescue organizations," Stachey said. "We'll do our due diligence."

Animal services came under the authority of the police department in 2013 and has been directly administered by the department since January. The county pays the city $347,613 a year for animal control services in the unincorporated area.

According to the county's website, the following locations accept county spay and neuter vouchers:

• Airport Road Animal Hospital.

• All Creatures Animal Hospital.

• Kelly Veterinary Clinic.

• Temperance Hill Animal Hospital.

• The Pet Clinic.

• Village Pet Services.

• Your Pets Animal Hospital.

Local on 04/17/2018

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