Mercer County Commissioners Nix Neuter Ordinance - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

Mercer County Commissioners Nix Neuter Ordinance

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By Lauren Hensley, Reporter - email

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PRINCETON -

A spay and neuter ordinance may no longer be a possibility in Mercer County.  County Commissioners said they had hoped by putting in an ordinance it could help decrease the pet population. But now a state-wide ordinance stands in the way.

It could HELP save many lives!

"Just in the month of March we took in 296 animals," Stacey Shampo Director of the Mercer County Animal Shelter said.

But now a spay and neuter ordinance in Mercer County is completely off the table. 

"Well the issue is that the state has a code. Nothing in this article authorizes an agency to spay or neuter a dog or cat if the dog or cat is returned to the its lawful owner within 5 days," Mercer County Commissioner Mike Vinciguerra said.

County Commissioners hoped to establish a rule that if any dog or cat was taken in by the Animal Shelter they would automatically be fixed.  But this is in direct violation of a state-wide West Virginia code.  This code gives pet owners 5 days to reclaim their pet before the shelter is able to take action.

"Our hands our tie by the state code," Vinciguerra continued.

With 4 litters of puppies at the shelter, 1 litter of kittens and 1 pregnant cat ready to deliver, the director of the animal shelter said pet owners are not stepping up to help prevent the over population.

The responsible action all pet owners are to spay and neuter.  If they choose not to they must use proper confinement for these animals.

Folks at the animal shelter said spaying and neutering does help control the pet population.  But ultimately at the end of the day they said it helps these little guys find their forever homes.