FORSYTH COUNTY -- The Forsyth County Animal Control shelter gets inspected several times a year by the state to make sure they're doing everything properly. However, when a state inspector came through Monday, they found that animal control wasn't filing every animal by their animal ID or with a hard copy file.
"We didn't have the records in the format they liked,” said Director Tim Jennings. “Our main record source is a computer."
The state also found that three stray cats had been euthanized before the legal holding time had elapsed. Those errors resulted in civil penalties of $5,200 for animal control.
"We have to own that,” said Jennings. “We made a data entry mistake. Animals are held a minimal 72 hours. State statute, local ordinance."
Jennings says this is the first time that the animal control has faced a civil fine under his watch. He says the staff is doing everything they can though to make sure that it doesn't happen again.
"We're going to work closely with the state and county departments about all of our systems. Re-training where it's necessary,” said Jennings. "Hold the people who made the errors accountable."
The county manager has 60 days to pay the fine or file a petition for a contested hearing with the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings.