By Susan Hardee Steger
January 24, 2018 10:20 a.m.
It was standing room only at Monday’s Nassau County Board of County Commission (BOCC) meeting as residents gathered to voice concerns over a proposed no-tethering ordinance. Approximately eight speakers raised objections to the ordinance during citizen comments.
The proposed ordinance in the opinion of most of the speakers, was too onerous. One speaker spoke of the temperature limits contained in the ordinance for not only dogs and cats, but for transporting live stock.
Board Chair Pat Edwards announced a BOCC’s “Fact Finding Committee,” will travel to Hillard, Callahan, and hold meetings in Yulee to receive citizen input on the proposal. According to the Nassau County Insider, “The second meeting of the Fact Finding Committee has been scheduled for Thursday, February 8th at 6:00 p.m. in the Commissioner Chambers located at 96135 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL, 32097. The County is in the process of scheduling at least two more meetings. The date, time and location of those meetings will be announced as soon as they are confirmed.”
The City of Fernandina Beach approved a no tethering ordinance on June 20, 2017. As previously reported, “Commissioner John Miller and the Fernandina Beach Animal Rescue asked that this Ordinance be considered by the City Commission to avoid cruelty to dogs and cats.”