45) Budget sets amount of dog license fee

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Animal Control Activity 2007-2008 as reported

by newly elected Sheriff George Braidwood's staff

George said he wanted to operate Animal Control within the law. Well, that was before he was elected, you know how that goes. This is insufficient data to determine what it costs to administer the dog law of 1919. I don't think our new sheriff is much concerned about that. He doesn't realize he could improve the animal control operation, simply by operating within the law. Oh well................

Please keep in mind the Animal Control budget is to cover the expenses of administering ALL animal related laws, and the Animal control Shelter receives just as many cats into the shelter as dogs.


MCL 287.266 Dog licenses; application; resolution; provisions; proof of vaccination.
Sec. 6. (5) ……….(f) …………..When applying for a license, the owner shall pay the license fee provided for in the county budget.
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The county board of commissioners may set license fees in the county budget at a level sufficient to pay all the county's expenses of administering this act as it pertains to dogs.

In most counties that means the dog licenses cover about 60% of the Animal Control expenses. If you looked at the county budget you have seen that Shiawassee County Animal Control is now operating at a profit and has been for several years, since they raised the license fees.

This is the FOIA I sent:

"I don't know who would have this, but I do know there are reports prepared on the number of citations issued by county deputies. What I am looking for is a report that shows the number of complaints filed with animal control and the number by reason. Such as, number of dog bites, number of loose dogs, number stray pickups,,,,,,,etc whatever would be called in to the animal control, number citations issued and for what. That sort of thing. "

So, under the Freedom of Information Act, as amended, I am requesting a copy of such a report for the year 2006.

And this is the information I received:

User:CMYOUNG Shiawassee County Animal Control 02/06/2007
Summons/Citations Charge Summary
Agency: SHIAWASSEE CO ANIMAL CONTROL, Date Range:

Charges, Count

ALLOWING DOG TO RUN AT LARGE , 39

BARKING DOG, 2

DESTROYES PERSONAL PROPERTY, 1

DOG AT LARGE, 3

DOG LICENSE REQUIRED, 61

POULTRY ATLARGE, 1

UNLICENSED DOG, 84

Total: 192


Then there is a second report:


User: CYOUNG SHIAWASSEE CO E-911 02/06/2007
Number of Events by Nature


Nature, # Events

ACCIDENT WITH INJURY, 1
AMBULANCE CALL, 3
ANIMAL BITE, 40
ANIMAL COMPLAINT, 525
ASSIST PUBLIC OR OTHER, 4
BARKING DOG, 5
HAZARD, 1
INVESTIGATE VEHICLE, 1
MOTORIST ASSIST, 2
OTHER TYPE, 2
TRANSPORT PRISONER, 1
TRESPASS COMPLAINT, 1
TROUBLE WITH SUBJECT, 1

TOTAL, 587

I REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THESE TWO REPORTS.

How can the county board of commissioners possibly determine what part of the Shiawassee County Animal Control activities involves administering this act as it pertains to dogs? This act being The Dog Law of 1919.

They certainly cannot. They cannot account for what it costs them to administer the Dog Law of 1919. They don’t even come close. So they set the license fee high enough to exceed the entire cost of the Shiawassee County Animal Control department.

Shiawassee County residents, being good little lambs don’t even kick up a fuss. They just pay it. That really blows my mind. But, if nobody minds, I’m suggesting they double the license fee and also add a license for cats at the same rate. That could kick the Animal Control revenue up to $300,000 and more. Nice little chunk of change for the General Fund.