Saline County committee discusses animal control, takes no action

The Public Works and Safety Committee of the Saline County Quorum Court met on Monday, April 7, to address concerns from residents about the rising issue of stray animals in the area. The committee discussed the possibility of establishing a County Animal Control department but did not take any immediate action toward its creation.

Justice of the Peace (JP) Stephanie Johnson initiated the conversation by placing animal control on the agenda and inviting two Saline County residents to share their perspectives.

“I really didn’t expect any action to be taken by the Quorum Court at the April 7 Committee meeting. The primary purpose of the meeting was to have both Shauna McPherson and Whitney Ashcraft come talk about the animal control problem in the county and present ideas on how a shelter could be built. Whitney, Shauna and I will be working on a more concrete plan of action to present, hopefully, at the regular Quorum Court meeting on April 21,” Johnson said in a statement the morning after the meeting.

Unlike municipalities such as Bryant, Benton, and Hot Springs Village, which have their own animal control services, there is currently no countywide animal control funded by the county government.

Whitney Ashcraft, owner of Southern Hearts Rescue, was the first resident to speak.

“We are not asking for you guys to fund it, we are asking for support (to establish county animal control),” said Ashcraft. “There are a lot of people in our communities, your communities, that need this. It’s growing; there are more people, more kids, animals are at large, people are getting hurt, farm animals are getting hurt, something needs to be done and my rescue can’t be the only plan you guys have.”

Ashcraft noted that every animal shelter in Saline County reaches out to Southern Hearts Rescue when they require assistance.

“The Sheriff’s office also calls us; we need help. We can’t be the only thing that y’all have as an outlet,” Ashcraft added.

JP C.J. Engel inquired about what specific assistance Ashcraft was seeking.

“Whatever you can, whatever support we can get. Whether it be helping find land, whether it be building on land that Saline County already has that isn’t being used. Support for grants, support for outreach, support for our fundraising efforts—all of those things,” Ashcraft replied.

In March, Ashcraft told The Saline Courier that the nonprofit, officially formed in 2018, has been working toward creating a county animal shelter for several years. However, it is not alone in its efforts. Others have also unsuccessfully advocated for a Saline County shelter. Although discussions have occurred over the years about implementing a facility to assist municipalities like Shannon Hills or Traskwood—towns without animal control services—no plans have progressed beyond the discussion stage.

Former JP Keith Keck, representing the Hot Springs Village Property Owners Association, stated that Hot Springs Village allocates $140,000 annually for its animal control services.

“Animals are dumped within Hot Springs Village because they know we are a no-kill shelter,” said Keck.

He also highlighted that Garland County provides animal control services to its residents, with the most recent contract totaling $450,000.

“Hot Springs Village looks forward to working with the county on this issue,” Keck concluded.

Several committee members, including JP Wilson Hatcher, JP Clint Chism, Johnson, and JP Jim Whitley, acknowledged the seriousness of the stray animal problem in the county and agreed that action is necessary. However, they did not propose any immediate solutions. Whitley suggested the possibility of forming a commission to explore options for addressing the issue of stray animals.

JP and Committee Chairman Pat Bisbee noted that discussing this initiative with County Judge Matt Brumley, who was not present at the meeting, would be essential moving forward.