DAVIESS CO., KY (WFIE) -
The Daviess County Fiscal Court and animal rescue groups continue to disagree over a new policy just enacted. The rule applies to when rescue groups have a right to take stray animals from the Daviess County Animal Shelter.
A couple weeks ago, it was decided that animal rescue groups can only take animals from the county if they've been given up voluntarily.
That decision is upsetting to rescue groups in Daviess County like Sparky.
"This rule is just, it's bad policy," said John Austin with Sparky.
But Daviess County Judge Executive Al Mattingly disagrees. He says this could actually benefit a large number of animals that have been given up.
"We have tons of animals that they can rescue that do not fall under this," Judge Executive Mattingly said. "If they want the others, they are required to sign an agreement that says if the rightful owners comes forward. If the rightful owner has not been proven to mistreat or maltreat the animal, that we have the right to reunite."
If an animal is picked up, it becomes property of Daviess County after five days.
Those involved with Sparky say the new rule is going to make already crowded shelters worse.
"It's a numbers game," Austin says. "If the shelter is not able to put these animals out into rescues that can find them homes then they're going to sit in the shelter."
Mattingly says both sides have common ground.
"The goal of both groups are to make sure that we kill or we put to sleep or we put down as few animals as we can," Mattingly said.
But groups like Sparky are still worried about how this will play out.
"It's going to lead to a lot of problems," said Austin. "It's going to lead to a lot more deaths and I just can't imagine that this is something we can't correct."
Judge Executive Mattingly says 55% of the animals that are currently in the shelter are available to be given to rescue organizations.
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If an animal is picked up, it becomes property of Daviess County after five days.
