TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) -- While other communities are enacting specific ordinances to deal with problem pets, Tupelo city leaders are moving toward a different approach.
In Thursday's work session, the city council discussed the possibility of adding a new position within the Tupelo Police Department: an animal control officer, one with more enforcement power than the city has had before.
"[The new position] has investigative powers. It has arrest powers. It has citation powers, [the ability] to issue summons, and things like that," Ward 1 Councilman Markel Whittington said. "I think it will send the statement to owners of vicious animals that they need to keep them in check."
Chief Tony Carleton said the person hired in that new position would be on call for animal assistance, but the rest of the time, he'd also respond to anything else the department needs.
"If he sees someone speeding or reckless driving, he can stop them. It's actually a plus for us; we get another employee," Carleton said.
Some might wonder whether or not Tupelo has a problem with animal control.
After all, it was only last week that a cow got loose in downtown Tupelo, an animal that had to be tranquilized and hauled off.
Carleton said events like that can tie up police resources quickly.
"It just seemed that it made sense to come along and assist that way," Carleton said. "It actually would relieve some of the patrol officers who answer those calls. Now we have somebody designated for that."
The end result of those calls usually means the pets wind up at the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society.
In 2010, 1,588 animal control-related calls were received by the animal shelter. That number increased 36 percent last year, to 2,163.
Some city leaders say that's all the more reason to give this proposal a chance.
"It's not the animals; it's the owners of these animals that need to obey the law that we have," Whittington said. "And there's no need in passing additional laws if we're not going to enforce them."
The city council still has to approve the position and the money that will be needed for it.
Whittington said he expects the council to vote on the matter within the next 60 days.
