Chattooga County Officials Respond After Animal Shelter Violations

Following an April 7th unannounced inspection of Chattooga County Animal Control by the Georgia Department of Agriculture, Chattooga County Sole Commissioner Andy Allen has issued a public response to address findings reported by The Summerville News and outline corrective actions taken by the county.

Senior Inspector Lisa Gowens’ initial inspection identified multiple violations, including lack of proper shelter for animals during inclement weather, failure to provide clean water to several animals, and significant sanitation concerns throughout the facility. Issues related to staffing coverage on weekends were also cited.

Four days later, on April 11th, Inspector Gowens conducted a follow-up visit and found substantial improvements. Eight of the ten violations had been corrected, with the remaining two tied to ongoing facility upgrades. Plans are underway to arrange further training and outreach for shelter staff.

Commissioner Allen stated that addressing the challenges at the shelter is a priority for his administration. He emphasized that proactive steps were already being taken before the inspection to rebuild trust in the county’s animal control operations, including the careful hiring of Shelter Director Lindsey Momon with input from local veterinary professionals.

Moving forward, the county has committed to:

• Upgrading facilities to meet or exceed state standards

• Increasing staff training to ensure best practices in animal care

• Collaborating with community groups and volunteers to support adoption efforts

The full Georgia Department of Agriculture report, along with the shelter’s corrective action plan, and Sole Commissioner Allen’s response are below. Residents are encouraged to contact the Commissioner’s office with any questions or to learn more about volunteer opportunities.