Animal rescue groups urge action as south Arkansas faces animal control crisis

HAMPTON, Ark. (KATV) — Animal rescue groups in Arkansas are raising concerns over the lack of animal control in the southern half of the state.

For most of the region, there is one man who is tasked with animal control across several Arkansas counties, and he is calling for help.

“There is definitely a serious problem, and it’s just getting worse,” says Charles Hartsell, an El Dorado animal control officer.

Hartsell is based out of the county seat of Union County, but he is often called out to surrounding cities to round up dumped animals who are either roaming the streets or roaming the counties.

This is an issue that Southern Arkansas animal rescues are also running into, like the Calhoun Animal Rescue Effort in Hampton.

“Our major concern right now is the amount of animals that are being dumped out in the middle of nowhere out in the counties and left to fend for themselves and they just die a horrific death,” asserts the rescue’s board director, Shirley Myers.

Hartsell believes that struggling pet owners are contributing to this problem.

“People get too many dogs, they can’t feed themselves, and they got four dogs. If I was going hungry, I don’t believe I would be getting more dogs.”

Myers agrees, saying that south Arkansas is suffering from the overpopulation of these animals, which is fueled by irresponsible pet owners.

If an animal is picked up by animal control, owners have the opportunity to pick up their pets, but the price for doing that is too much for some.

“If you charge $450, they won’t pay you to get their dog, they will just go and get another one,” says Hartsell.

Hartsell also says that southern Arkansas cities and counties can help this issue.

“You still have to have a place for them and there’s got to be funding for food, and food is so expensive now.”

“The whole situation would be better if they would set money aside to hire more officers,” he adds.

Myers also wants more animal control, but she has a different solution than Hartsell.

“My suggestion on there was just that each department had one person that was educated to the animal cruelty laws, and the facts involved in it without having a separate paid position for animal control.”

Some south Arkansas towns are already doing this. According to Ginger Bailey, the Mayor of Bearden, the city is sending an officer to receive training with the National Animal Care and Control Association. This officer would be able to handle animal control in the city, in addition to being trained in euthanasia.

One question still remains: why are there not more animal control officers and shelters in these communities?

According to Bailey, Bearden no longer has its own animal control because of budgetary restrictions, which is commonplace in many south Arkansas towns.