AG 2000 06 19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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of six months at the discretion of, and under conditions imposed by, the local health director." Section S. Every county or city animal shelter,' or animal shelter operated under contract with a county or city or otherwise in receipt of State or local funding shall prepare an annual report setting forth the numbers, by species, of animals received into the shelter, the number adopted out, the number returned to owner, and the number destroyed. The report shall also contain the total operating expenses of the shelter and the cost per animal handled. The report shall be filed with the Department of Health and Human Services by August I of each year. Section 6. The Department of Health and Human Services shall establish a pilot program for animal control in one of the counties within the enterprise tier one area, as defined in G.S. 105-29.3, that does not have an existing animal control program and that meets the qualifications established in this section. The Department shall select a county to participate from among those counties applying to the Department for consideration for the pilot program. Counties wishing to participate should submit a written application to the Department describing in detail the animal control problems in the county, the proposed animal control program to be implemented with the funding available through the pilot program, and the expected results from the program. The Department shall make its selection based on its determination of where the pilot program would most effectively reduce the population of unwanted cats and dogs and enhance public health and safety. The decision of the Department as to the county chosen to participate in the pilot program shall be final. To qualify to participate in the program, a county shall establish a differentiated tax on dogs and cats and offer a reduced cost spay/neuter program to low-income persons as provided in G.S. 19A-53(a). The county selected shall be required to provide a fifty percent (50%) match to any State funds that are allocated for the local animal control program. The county shall keep records of the number of cats and dogs spayed and neutered under the reduced cost spay/neuter program and shall report the results of the pilot program on animal control problems in the county to the Department on a semiannual basis. Funding for the program shall be from the Spay/Neuter Account established pursuant to G.S. 19A-52 from funds received from the sale of Animal Lovers special license plates pursuant to G.S. 20-79.7 and shall not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the funds available from the sale of the special license plate or fifty thousand dollars ($50,000), whichever is less. Section 7. This act becomes effective January 1, 2001.