ST. LANDRY PARISH — St. Landry Parish animal control services reopened Thursday morning, one day after Parish President Jessie Bellard shut down operations, citing a lack of dedicated funding.
"When you don't have a dedicated tax, then that money is subject to doing whatever is mandated, and animal control is not a mandate in the parish," Bellard said.
Bellard also pointed to inmate-related expenses as a financial burden on the parish.
"The law says we have to take care of an inmate. If that person gets sick or that person gets hurt, whatever the case may be, that's a responsibility upon the parish," Bellard said.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz disputed that characterization, saying the parish government is not currently involved in jail finances.
"They're not spending money on inmates," Guidroz said. "He's not paying for that anymore because he decided that he didn't have any money, he wasn't going to do it."
Animal control services resumed Thursday after residents voiced concerns over the closure.
"They were very passionate about their concerns. That's what we want," Bellard said.
To reopen operations, the parish is partnering with a non-profit organization that has not yet been named. Under the agreement, the parish will provide use of the building, pay for electricity, and supply one officer to pick up strays.
"That's very doable in my book because it'll go from maybe $600,000 a year to maybe $100,000 a year," Bellard said.
Guidroz said animal control and the parish government have the authority to handle animal cruelty cases.
"They can enforce that and animal cruelty or animal control for vicious animals. They have the authority," he said.
