Lauderdale County approves animal services agreement with Florence

LAUDERDALE Co., Ala. (WAFF) - The Lauderdale County Commission has unanimously approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the city of Florence that would expand animal control services in the county.

Commissioners voted on the agreement Monday, and the Florence City Council approved it on May 16.

Currently, no animal control officers serve the county, according to Cheryl Jones, Director of Animal Services with Florence-Lauderdale Animal Services. In this new agreement, the city would provide two additional officers.

The county will pay $150,000 to provide animal control services for a period of one year. It will also pay an additional $50,000 to Florence for the operation cost of the animal shelter. This is on top of its annual appropriation.

Both parties will look at the possibility of building a surgery suite at the Lauderdale County Animal Shelter.

“Right now we go to Huntsville one day a week to the Spay Neuter Clinic to get about 22 animals fixed. [This] would allow us to do it quicker, and it will allow us to save some money doing it,” said Jones.

According to Jones, animal control officers will be working 10-hour shifts. Their responsibilities include answering calls about stray animals and helping law enforcement investigate cruelty and neglect cases, she said.

City leaders are hoping to hire the two new officers immediately. If this short-term agreement works, they will look at a long-term agreement, said Jones.

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