I have been recently tasked as the new Animal Control Officer for Mt. Pleasant and I would like to raise the awareness of the citizens about the importance of licensing pets and keeping them at home or on a leash to prevent them being “at large.”

Mt. Pleasant ordinances require that all dogs be licensed every year. Ordinance #98-01-13 states that it shall be unlawful to own, keep or harbor any dog over the age of four months without a license. Another ordinance requires that a pet to remain on their property unless on a leash. It states the owner or custodian of the animal is liable for a violation regardless of the precautions taken to prevent the escape of the animal.

With these formalities being said, I would like to explain the importance of these issues. As a dog owner myself, I feel I can safely assume pet owners love their pets and probably treat them as a family member or another child.

Nobody wants to see their dog placed in the dog pound because they were running at large. The cost of licensing your pet is $12-to-$17, depending on whether or not the animal is spayed or neutered. This fee is substantially less than the impound fee of $20 for the initial impounding and $10 per day for each day thereafter until the dog is picked up.

If the dog is not licensed and at large, the animal will be impounded and the owner would face a citation which would require a mandatory court appearance. As the Animal Control Officer for both Mt. Pleasant and Spring City, I run a “NO EUTHANIZE” or “NO KILL” shelter for both cities and we have wonderful people who help in the adoption of dogs that have remained unclaimed.

It is very troubling to see firsthand how low the numbers are for compliant citizens in both cities. Let me give you an idea of how troubling these numbers are. Since I have taken the responsibility of being the Animal Control Officer in Mt. Pleasant approximately four months ago, I have had to work tirelessly with different animal rescue groups to adopt out roughly three dozen dogs in order to keep the dog pound euthanize or kill free.

This may be because dog owners are unaware that there is an Animal Control Officer patrolling the town or they don’t know who to contact until the fees are too much for them to afford and they have to leave their pet behind because of the situation.

For this reason, I cannot stress enough how important it is to license a pet. My hope with this letter is that the citizens will become more aware, more compliant, more responsible with the licensing of the animal and a little more vigilant to ensure that their animal is home and not at large.

I have been told people have had to change their exercise routine largely in part that they do not feel safe walking the streets in the mornings or afternoons in fear of dogs chasing and biting them.

As citizens, we should not have to fear walking our own streets. I grew up in Mt. Pleasant and I know the citizens are good people and only want the best for their community so I implore everyone to help me help you.

If an animal is licensed and wearing the tags, it may prevent people from being given a citation or may prevent their animal from being impounded. If by chance a pet has been picked up for any number of reasons, I take photos of the animal and have them placed on numerous Facebook pages and also the Mt. Pleasant City Facebook page.

For convenience, Mt. Pleasant City has taken their licensing paperwork to the Sanpete Veterinary Clinic located south of Mt. Pleasant so people can get vaccinations and licensing all in one stop.

Share this information with any friends or family that own animals so they can do their part to prevent themselves from receiving a citation or paying impound fees. Nobody wants to lose their animals or have them locked in the pound so take this information into consideration.

I appreciate residents for their time and efforts in keeping the community a great place to live for everyone. If anyone has any questions, feel free to contact me.

Dave Bingham

Animal Control Officer