Director: Fort Smith spay-neuter law will require ‘real solutions and real costs’

Fort Smith City Director George Catsavis is open to ideas about a spay-neuter law, and Director Keith Lau believes there are more important issues the board should consider, but is open to considering plans developed by “experts” that includes “real solutions and real costs.”

Talk Business & Politics recently asked all seven members of the board their thoughts on a recent push by the HOPE Humane Society for the board to again consider aspay-neuter ordinance. Not responding were Directors André Good, Don Hutchings, Mike Lorenz, Tracy Pennartz, and Kevin Settle.

HOPE Humane Society Vice President Storm Nolan addressed the Board on Sept. 4 to push for consideration of a spay-neuter ordinance. He said the HOPE facility had 622 pets as of last Friday in a facility only designed to hold 300. He said the organization has taken in around 1,900 animals through August, with the trend suggesting that around 2,900 animals will come through the facility in 2018. Nolan called the issue “a city problem.”

On Sept. 27, HOPE worked with Wings of Rescue and Fetch Fido a Flight to transport more than 175 animals to Idaho and Oregon for adoption. However, HOPE officials said the transport is just a short-term fix.

Lau said a plan would need to target the areas of town in which most of the strays are picked up.

“It needs a plan to target those areas,” Lau said. “It needs a plan that offers incentives to those citizens to get their animals spayed and neutered, and possibly using some of the monies we pay the hope humane society on a yearly basis to incent free spay and neuter.”

The city pays HOPE around $300,000 a year to manage stray animals.

While noting that there “are so many other things the city should be worried about,” Lau said those seeking a spay and neuter law need to bring forward a plan that’s “backed up numbers and solutions and costs.”

“If it ends up costing more (than the city now spends), I can’t support that,” Lau said.

Catsavis said the Board needs to review the spay-neuter laws of other cities and the resulting outcomes. He told Talk Business & Politics the board also needs to gather public input on the issue.

“Yes, I agree there is a problem with controlling the pet overpopulation that has caused this problem at the Hope Humane Society. I believe there needs to be public input, such as a town hall meeting with residents so the board can get some feedback as to their thoughts on the issues,” Catsavis noted.

Former City Director Philip Merry, Jr., who pushed for a spay-neuter law in 2011-2012, said the primary objection came down to one sentiment.

“It was about, ‘Don’t tell me what to do with my dog,’” Merry said when asked why that earlier effort failed to gain Board approval.