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| Please see my ANIMAL LEGISLATIVE ISSUES WEB PAGE for an online submission form to suggest legislation needed to protect animals from neglect and abuse. |
EXPLANATION OF CODES:
BLUE FONT: Original post.
RED FONT: Response to post.
GREEN FONT: Editorial comment.
POST HC-(**number**): Post identification number in this topic. Posts listed in reverse chronological order. Please refer to this post number, when replying to a post.
| The following entries, submitted by area constituents, are distributed by me in this blog as a public service to increase dialog about issues of importance to Blount and Sevier County residents. I do not necessarily agree with or endorse any statement made herein. Our form of government works best, when many, differing viewpoints are heard and considered. The process is often "messy." Read, think, and offer your opinions. Most importantly, though, make up your own mind.
State Senator Raymond Finney |
POST AN-8: SUGGESTIONS FOR ANIMAL LAWS.
Received: December 25, 2007. Added: December 25, 2007.
I am suggesting a bill to ban chaining and tethering of dogs and a bill to recognize animals as companions and not
property giving them more humane rights, and a humane existance, and better and stricter laws to prosecute animal abusers. One only needs to drive down their own road and see a dog on a five foot chain, never walked, basically neglected, inappropiate housing condtions and all together non-existent life. Some are beaten, tormented, killed. There is a certain point where the pet is no longer a pet just a possesion like an old tire laying in the yard. I had a horrible experience in my area with this and was recently on the news for finding exectued dogs stacked on top of each other and discarded like trash. There is no excuse for any of these behaviors, just a total disreagrd for life of any kind. These people lack
empathy. If they lack this human trait, what else are they capable of? I will tell you, spouse abuse and child abuse or neglect, predatory behaviour. Also, drug dealers use guard dogs, many crack homes have 3 to 4 dogs tied in front yard to alert them of vistors. A new law governing animals rights, not only will give state more revenue in fines from those who disregard the law, but also help police get their foot in the door where more crimes could be being commited.
Arnold Swarzengger just signed a bill for better animals rights. It is time for Tennessee to squash our hillybilly image and do the same. A society is judged by the way it treats its beasts.
Chantel, Seymour
POST AN-7: PAWS IN THE PARK (ANNOUNCEMENT OF EVENT).
Received: October 5, 2007. Added: October 5, 2007.
Please take note of this public event.
SIXTH ANNUAL PAWS IN THE PARK
Blount County’s Oldest and Largest Pet Party
DATE: Sunday, October 21, 2007 (RAIN DATE: October 28, 2007)
TIME: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
PLACE: Springbrook Park, 1537 Dalton Street, Alcoa, TN
MAP
DIRECTIONS FROM MARYVILLE: Take 129 N. toward McGhee Tyson Airport. Exit to the right at the Hunt Road exit. Continue on E. Hunt Road a few blocks, until you come to Springbrook Road. Turn right onto Springbrook Road. You will see the park, but continue on Springbrook Road, until you come to Alcoa Road. Turn left onto Alcoa Road, and right onto Dalton Street. Turn right into the parking lot past the tennis courts.
Come out and join us at Springbrook Park for a fun-filled day with your family and friends-- and don't forget your dog (or other pets)! All proceeds benefit Blount County Animal Rescue Effort (Blount CARE), an organization dedicated to educating the public about the importance of spaying/neutering, responsible pet ownership, animal welfare, rescue and adoption.
FREE ADMISSION. PETS MUST BE ON LEASH AT ALL TIMES!
Attractions include:
- DAWN ELBERSON GOEHRING and her COMEDY CANINES from the Comedy Barn
- KNOXVILLE ZOO ENRICHMENT EXHIBIT
- The BUNNIES and Blount CARE’s GIANT 20 lb+ RABBIT
- BIRD EXHIBIT
- Many ANIMAL RESCUE GROUPS
- SILENT AUCTION
- VENDORS
- CANINE CAKE WALK
- RALLY OBEDIENCE
- SHOW AND GO
- CANINE BEHAVIORIST
- MUSIC
- BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS
- Many entertaining anf informative DEMONSTRATIONS throughout the day
- CONTESTS-- Waggiest Tail, Kissing Contest, Silly Pet Tricks, Costume Contest, Clothes Relay, Bobbing for Tennis Balls, or Food, Toss, and many more (ribbons and/or prizes will be awarded to the winners of all contests)
- PET PHOTOGRAPHER-- Let Blount CARE’s own vice president and professional photographer, Shannon Parker, update your dog's photograph album with some beautiful new portraits. (Contact White Dog Studio, (865) 250.8536, for prices and information. Call ahead for an appointment and avoid waiting in line.)
- CANINE GOOD CITIZEN TEST (see: CGC Test Rules)
- FOOD-- Again this year the folks from the Blount County Civil War Roundtable are joining the Blount CARE team, volunteering at the grill. Their burgers and baked potatoes were a big hit last year! We’re planning a big spread, bring a hardy appetite and help a good cause!
- BLOUNT COUNTY CIVIL WAR ROUNTABLE-- Come by and see the members in period dress, and check out their display and CANNON
- SPEAKERS– Speakers will include State Senator Raymond Finney and Jan Killion
Events are being added weekly. Check our WEBSITE for updates. Events and speakers may change without notice. Check Website for updates, changes, and for cancellation /re-scheduling in case of rain.
ADDED EVENTS (October 10, 2007 update):
- All three fire departments (Alcoa, Maryville, and Blount County) -- including "the Fire House", a fire engine, firehouse mascots, a remote unit, and various other firefighting equipment
- The Avian Adventure 4-H Club-- exotic birds. Their leader, Jan Killion, with Earth's Angels, will be speaking about her homing doves and will release some to return to their home.
- Chris Protzman, president of Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation-- the group working with Blount County to build a full facility animal shelter which will provide animal control for Blount County, will speak on their progress
If you have a group that would like to participate, please call Teresa at (865) 556-0315.
Mailing address: Blount County Animal Rescue Effort, Post Office Box 792, Alcoa, TN 37701
Telephone: (865) 556.0315
Blount CARE's Email address
Blount CARE's Website
Terry, Maryville
POST AN-6: BIG ANIMAL ABUSE.
Received: September 25, 2007. Added: September 25, 2007.
Just wanted to thank you, Senator Finney, for your stand against animal cruelty and for pointing out the correlation
between animal cruelty and abuse to people. I really enjoyed your talk Sunday at Springbrook Park. Speaking of animal cruelty in Tennessee, as I was leaving the event, I spoke to the people of Tiger Haven about the report I saw on WBIR TV
about the six big cats that they took in from an abuse case. These tigers, a puma, a lion, a panther, a cougar and a bear were kept in a deplorable situation in cages barely large enough for a large dog. The people keeping these animals did not even have the legal paperwork to have exotic wildlife, but they were only given a slap on the wrist. We need better laws to protect our animals and enforce our current animal cruelty laws. Thank you for trying to make a difference.
Terry, Maryville
POST AN-5: UPDATE: SMOKY MOUNTAIN ANIMAL CARE FOUNDATION SHELTER.
Received: June 22, 2007. Added: June 23, 2007.
As an update to the Blount County animal control issue, I ask that all interested parties note that the Blount County
Commission has partnered with a new 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (a grassroots organization of local residents) to
build a new shelter for Blount County-- Smoky Mountain Animal Care Foundation. Visit their
Website for up-to-date news and information.
Tami, Maryville
POST AN-4: RECOGNITION OF IMPORTANCE OF ANIMAL CONTROL ISSUES.
Received: January 8, 2007. Added: January 11, 2007.
It is finally uplifting to see that a desperate matter is getting attention in East Tennessee-- animal control. It is up
there in importance with school issues. Hopefully, now that the word is getting out about no Blount County Shelter, animal
pick up or spay/neutering measures in effect, we can get many more citizens joining in to work on raising funds for a worthy shelter and forcing more humane services for the existing Maryville shelter that is seriously inadquate and not a place to take an animal you want to have a chance at life (NO offense to the people who have to work there). The number of strays dead and alive in our streets and around children should be enough keep the effort moving forward. Thank you, Senator Finney.
Toni, Maryville
POST AN-3: ANIMAL CONTROL AND CHILD SAFETY.
Received: January 3, 2007. Added: January 4, 2007.
I heard yesterday on the television news that Blount County no longer has animal control. I think there should be state legislation to require each county to have animal control at all times. If possible, could the state offer grants for establishing and maintaining animal control? It seems that the only budgetary priorities in Blount County are schools and building schools. (Could that be because the Blount couty has sold the older school buildings?) This causes other areas of the county budget (like having convenience centers and animal control)to be lacking. Legislation requiring animal control in each county would assure that all counties take care of this problem. Without animal control, those with dangerous dogs can and will let them run loose in the community; however, if I shoot, club or poison one of them, I would be arrested-- probably for animal cruelty. The only reason some Blount Countians are keeping their animals restrained is because animal control threatened to take the animal(s) away if not securely restrained. Without animal control, animals who have bitten humans can run loose in the community and there is no number to call. Some of these dogs are a real danger to children, who might be playing outside. (A big dog could seriously injure a child, possibly an adult.) On the TV news, I did hear the
sheriff say that his department would only deal with animals in life threatening situations. We should not have to let it get to that point. If counties cannot set priorities, I think the state should do it for them. I think animal control is just as important as homeland security or pre-school programs. Animal control is related to personal and community safety. Are kids really a priority when we spend so much on schools? (A very large percentage of the money spent on education goes to administration-- not the classroom.) Yet, Blount County does not protect the child from big dogs that could attack the child at the bus stop or walking to/from the bus stop as well as when playing in his/her yard. Also, a biting dog could attack a student on the school playground. Isn't the child's basic safety as important as the child's education? Let's get our priorities in order. Every county needs animal control.
Betty, Maryville
RESPONSE TO AN-3.
Received: January 26, 2007. Added: January 27, 2007.
A citizen asked for the state of TN to establish a grant to help aid Blount County with animal control. This is completely the wrong way to approach this problem. Instead of creating more bureaucracy that is only transfering the problem, why not create a state law requiring each county to maintain animal control and implement a daily fine by the state for each day that a county is noncompliant. In a time where government spending is ludicrous and unfathomable, government officials should be held accountable on all levels. Laws should also include provisions to hold county officals personally responsible for neglecting this essential matter. Despite having a $140 million budget, some county officials feel that more money is needed to maintain an animal shelter. As always the tendency is to flog the plow horse by adding a tax on all those who take good care of their animals. The problem of over population of pets is a dire consquence of uncontrolled breeding. Animal breeders are the ones filling our shelter and they are the ones that should be taxed heavily for the misery of over breeding. Instead of flogging the plow horse pet owners that care, studs (breeders) should be the ones that incur any future taxation.
Tona, Greenback
POST AN-2: ANIMAL CONTROL IN BLOUNT COUNTY.
Received: January 3, 2007. Added: January 4, 2007.
In June 2006, it was announced by the Blount County Commission that they would not renew the current contract with the
City of Maryville for Animal Control or Animal Shelter Services. This was after the City of Maryville almost doubled the annual fee for these services. At this time a group of Blount County residents, made up of animal rescue groups, animal business owners, and other concerned citizens, formed Citizens United for a Better Blount County (CUBBC) to investigate
the animal control and animal shelter problem. In the meantime, the Blount County Commission arranged for the City of Maryville to continue serving the county on a month to month basis for six months. This ran out December 31, 2006. As of January 1, 2007, all parts of the county not in a Blount County town, will have no animal control, no animal pick up, and no shelter facility. This means that if you live in the county, even if you take an animal into the Maryville Shelter, the animal will not be accepted. Starting in July, 2006, CUBBC took a hard look at the City of Maryville Shelter. They found a building that was built in 1991 just for the City of Maryville. It was currently serving Maryville, Alcoa, Rockford, and
all of the county that was outside any other towns. The shelter only had 20 kennels with outside runs, 20 small upper kennels that were not used because they had plywood floors and no outside runs, and 20 cat kennels. This was just not adequate for the number of animals in Blount County. It was also noted that the Maryville Shelter adopted out animals that were not neutered. The people adopting the animals were supposed to [have] them... neutered, but there was no follow-up to see if this was done. Although the shelter workers were too few to adequately patrol a county of this size, plus answer calls, keep the kennels clean, and show people the animals that were up for adoption, they could not accept assistance from different groups, like rescue groups or Girl and Boy Scouts. These kinds of groups could have led to a non-profit
organization to be a "friend of the shelter," to assist in beneficial programs for all of the Blount County citizens and their pets. After viewing the City of Maryville Shelter and its procedures, it was decided by CUBBC that Blount County would be better served to build its own shelter and have its own animal control. Plans were moving along very rapidly with the combined work of CUBBC members using a couple of suggestions from a commissioner. CUBBC hoped to break ground before the end of 2006 and have the first stage of the new shelter built by the spring of 2007. The shelter would have been
expanded as donations came in. This came to an abrupt stop with the August Blount County elections. The outgoing commissioners did not want to take any actions on any new proposals. But when the new commissioners were seated, the suggestions made by the past commission, like county property being available, and a bond issue being used to build the first stage, became unobtainable. However CUBBC is still moving forward with plans now to build a new private shelter. It is hoped that Blount County will contract with this new full facility shelter, even though it will now take much longer to
complete without the county’s help. Still, state law states that animal control must be done by an official officer of the state. So although the new shelter can provide kennel facilities, Blount County will have to provide police officers for animal control. (Right now, the officers for the county are hired by the City of Maryville, but their salaries come from the contracted fee from Blount County.) So we have now come to this sad state where the residents of Blount County have to take animal control into their own hands. Let us hope no one is injured until this issue can be resolved. ADDENDUM BY AUTHOR (Received January 6, 2007 -- Added January 6, 2007) The Blount County Commissioners on the subcommittee for animal control will meet Wednesday, January 10, at 5:00 pm at the Blount County Courthouse. Everyone is invited. Come and show your support for the commissioners to solve this problem as soon as possible. For
more information on people interested in doing something about the animal control problem see the
Website. This is Citizens United for a Better Blount County.
Terry, Maryville
POST AN-1: ANIMAL RIGHTS.
Received: December 30, 2006. Added: December 30, 2006.
First, I wish to thank Senator Finney for this opportunity. My comment concerns animal rights. The good people of Tennessee can change the laws if enough will back tougher penalities for animal cruelty. One case to demonstrate this is little Bo Bo in Campbell County. Please back Senator Finney in some much needed change. We must speak for the animals, they can't do it and are at the mercy of the people. Let's get this done on behalf of the little creatures of the world. Let
Tennessee be a leader in tougher national laws for them.
Kathy, Louisville
RESPONSE TO AN-1.
Received: January 1, 2007. Added: January 1, 2007.
Who is Bo Bo?
Ed, Sevierville
EDITOR'S COMMENT:
Bo Bo is a ten-pound Chihuahua mix dog, who was dragged behind an automobile in late December, 2006. Read Bo Bo's story, as reported by WBIR-TV. The owner was scheduled to make a court appearance on December 29, 2006 (presumably to determine if the incident was due to negligence, wilful intent, or accident), but I do not know the judge's decision as of this date.State Senator Raymond Finney, January 1, 2007