Corbin Middle School eighth grader Ellen Sell has seen a problem in her community with animal neglect, and she is asking the Corbin City Commission to do something about it.
Sell told the Corbin City Commission during its regular monthly meeting Monday that she personally observed a neighbor dog named Callie being neglected last year.
“Callie suffered neglect during the harsh, cold winter weather,” Sell said noting that Callie’s doghouse had several holes in the roof and sides allowing rain and snow to enter inside.
To make matters worse, that rain and snow would often form puddles inside her doghouse. Sell said she knows this because she and her mother tried to provide Callie with bedding inside her doghouse along with giving her food.
“We also discovered that Callie’s water was frozen solid, and when we fed her, she ate extremely quickly as though she had not been fed in days,” Sell said. “Callie was also tethered up with a short chain, which she often got wrapped and stuck to trees and children’s toys that were scattered throughout the yard.”
“After weeks of listening to Callie’s cries, we tried to help her on numerous occasions, such as bringing her food and bedding, but her owner still refused to address the issue and began refusing our help. With the help of our mayor, Mrs. (Suzie) Razmus, we were able to find Callie a forever home. However, Callie suffered for months before her rescue. I have no doubt many other abused animals are in need of proper care.”
Sell asked the city commission to adopt an animal ordinance more in line with Lexington’s ordinance, which allows for fines up to $500 and possible imprisonment of up to 12 months for violations. This way police officers could warn owners of legal consequences for neglect of their animals.
The Lexington ordinance also states that the dog shall be provided with adequate protection from heat and cold, and that it is unlawful for any animal’s housing area to excessively muddy or contain standing water due to lack of cover among other things.
Sell asked the Corbin City Commission make its ordinance more detailed with legal consequences for those that abuse their animals.
“She made some great points,” noted Commissioner Allison Moore.
“I agree. We don’t have any teeth to our ordinance,” Razmus added.
Corbin City Attorney and Whitley County Attorney Bob Hammons noted that some state statutes trump local ordinances, and Corbin’s case is a bit different from Lexington in that it doesn’t have its own dog warden or dog pound like Lexington.
Hammons, who noted that he has dogs, added he is willing to draw up a new animal control ordinance tightening up the laws as much as the Corbin City Commission wishes to do so.
