The Jefferson City Council recently took another step forward in the operations of the Greene County Animal Shelter.

At their most recent meeting in July, new fees were approved by the Council and took effect immediately. There is now a daily impound/boarding fee of $20 if an animal is picked up by law enforcement or another individual and dropped off at the shelter. City Administrator Scott Peterson says once the animal’s owner is identified and that person wants to take their animal out of the shelter, they will need to pay those impound fees. Peterson points out fees were needed because the city is providing a service when animals are dropped off at the shelter.

“It does cost the dog owner a few extra bucks if they’re dog is found at large and would be impounded and they would have to pay that fee before the dog would be returned. Again anything that we can do just maybe in general to encourage good, responsible dog ownership, we certainly want to do that.”   

Peterson notes there is also a $200 annual fee for any surrounding town in Greene County that would want to participate and have animals at large brought to the shelter. Peterson says if a town doesn’t participate, then the animal would need to go to another facility. He adds the Council also discussed, but wanted the animal shelter committee to continue their conversations about the possibility of establishing fees to use the dog park that is currently still being constructed.