The Charlotte County Board of Supervisors passed a motion to increase fees for confinement and redemption of dogs in the county.

The new fees will be $10 per day with a $25 redemption fee. Previously, the fees were $1.50 per day with a $10 redemption fee.

The fees haven’t been adjusted since the implementation of the pound, according to Board of Supervisors Chairman Gary Walker.

“The reason I want to do this is because I get complaints all the time about people saying the neighbors dogs are coming to the house and it’s nothing I can really do about it,”. . . said Animal Control Officer Elwood Hamlett.

He said the complaints consist of the dogs creating a nuisance, such as tearing up trash.

“This way, if a dog comes to somebody’s house, I can warn them the first time. If they keep coming over, I can go to them and say ‘look I’ve warned you the first time, I’m going to pick the dog up next time he comes over to a neighbor’s house . . . .”

He said at that point the dog would be taken to the pound and the owner would be charged $10 per day and $25 to get the dog out.

“Hopefully this will stop people’s dogs from going to neighbors houses tearing up stuff,” he said.

He said that was the main reason for the fee increase, however it would not apply if the dog was not being a nuisance.

Drakes Branch Supervisor Garland Hamlett, Jr. asked if it would include all of the incorporated towns to which Elwood Hamlett said, “yes.”

“The only way I can do this, I’ve got to know who the dog belongs to,” said Elwood Hamlett. “If it’s a dog there that’s a stray dog, I don’t have anything to go on. I’ve got to have a name . . ..”

He said the owner must be contacted.