Oxford Leaders Pass Ordinance Outlawing After-Hours Drop Off at Animal Shelter

By Alyssa Schnugg
News Editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

With the animal shelter on McElroy Drive closed for renovations and repairs, the Oxford Board of Aldermen voted to waive the usual 30-day period for an ordinance to go into effect that makes dropping animals off at the shelter when it’s closed illegal.

By law, before an ordinance can go into effect, the Board of Aldermen must have a first reading and a second hearing with a public hearing. The board generally waits to vote on most ordinances during a third reading, however, that is a policy the board can elect to waive.

However, to waive the 30-day waiting period for an ordinance to go into effect, the board must find there’s a safety reason to allow the law to go into effect immediately.
On Tuesday, Alderman Janice Antonow moved to waive the 30-day period during the second reading and public hearing for the drop-off ordinance.

The board voted unanimously to waive the 30 days.

The ordinance makes it illegal for anyone to drop off animals inside the fence at the city dog park located next to the shelter or on the grounds of the shelter since the shelter will be closed for several weeks while renovations and clean-up efforts continue at the shelter.

The board also approved a one-year contract with MS Critterz Tuesday that will be taking over operations of the animal shelter and animal control services.

Anyone caught dropping off animals when the shelter is closed or inside the fence at the dog park could face misdemeanor criminal charges.