Change of Harnett County Animal Control Ordinances to include Domesticated Potbellied Pigs

To: Harnett County Officials & Town of Erwin Officials

Whereas the Harnett County Animal Ordinance Code allows ownership of a total of three (3) dogs and/or cats in any single family dwelling, we are petitioning for the change of the Harnett County Animal Ordinance be amended to provide ownership of miniature domestics such as Potbelly pigs. We are requesting the definition of pet or animal for zoning be changed, along with the inclusion of unless domesticated for pet purposes, such as potbellied pigs in the Swine clause. The definition of a pet should be changed to read: "Any domesticated animal which is kept for pleasure, rather than utility or sale, in a cage, terrarium, aquarium, or other confinement within a primary dwelling; or any fish or amphibian, which is kept in a pond for pleasure, rather than utility or sale; or any domesticated animal kept or generally housed on property." This petition is to be presented to the Harnett County Asst. County Manager and Harnett County Board of Commissioners for appeal of the current order of removal issued to the Suggs/Denning residence at 211 East H Street (temporary residence) & 101 Woodall Drive (permanent residence) Erwin North Carolina, 28339

False and inflammatory reports of the condition of our home & pets living conditions have lead to the enforcement of the current Animal Ordinance. Before the contrived accusations of our living conditions, we willingly invited the health department, animal control officials, county commissioners, and county officials to visit our home for inspections. The conditions were previously inspected by Town of Erwin inspectors in February and March of 2008 and the current town inspector and Town of Erwin Manager found the conditions were not what has been claimed by the current and previous complainant; Thomas Johnson of 209 East H Street, Erwin.

Current Issue Details:
We purchased Clover in May of '07 within compliance to Town of Erwin Animal Ordinances.

Our family relocated to 211 East H Street (Erwin, NC) in Jan'08 (in with my mom in my childhood home while we renovate my home).

Told by the previous Town of Erwin Manager, Alan Thornton, in March of 2008 that we complied with all ordinances because Clover is a domesticated animal, not a farm animal (in the exact same location she is in right this minute). The town inspector came out on 2 occasions before that and verified no smell and no visual problems.

Unknowing to us, on May 1, 2008 the Town of Erwin, NC turned over all animal control issues to the county and thus the county ordinance took over.

In March '09 an animal control officer and the Interim Chief of Police Hank Haire approached us at home, informed us of the new ordinance, issued a citation for violation of the new ordinance, and we were told that we had 2 weeks to move Clover.

The issue has escalated since then, and there have been MANY uninformed people making comments, spreading lies, and rumors. We just want all the attention to stop and for the issue to be corrected. We hate that all the attention has been place on our pet when many other pets will be included within the new ordinance violation. We are not the type people to draw attention to ourselves, scream/holler/yell obscenities/exaggerate the truth/or invade privacy as our disgruntled neighbor has done. We could have taken many other, more drastic measures to solve our problem. Instead, we are trying our best to be respectful to officials and follow the steps they have told us to take. The officials know they are welcome to come out to our home anytime. We ask that the public do their research, become informed of the REAL situation and facts, and not make assumptions based on what we have shared or the neighbor has shared.

There are NUMEROUS people that visit this residence FREQUENTLY to swim or for cookouts and gatherings, all within 8-10 feet of the section of the yard that Clover has been given to roam freely (behind a privacy fence). Most never know that we have a potbellied pig until we introduce them to Clover. ANYONE that has visited us can testify to the fact that she is not a noise nuisance and to the fact that she does not, neither does her outside home; smell as atrocious as the neighbor alleges, therefore she is not a smell nuisance.

Unless this ordinance is changed we will be forced to remove our beloved family member, Clover, from our home. Most documented cases of potbellied relocation have resulted in death of the potbellied pig within 3-4 weeks due to undue stress and heartbreak causing the potbellied pig to refuse to eat. Please do not allow this to happen to our Clover. Your support is greatly appreciated and needed.

BY signing below you are expressing your support of the amendment to the Harnett County Animal Ordinance Code which allows ownership of a total of three (3) dogs and/or cats in any single family dwelling, be amended to provide ownership of miniature domestics such as Potbelly pigs. We are requesting the definition of pet or animal for zoning be changed, along with the inclusion of unless domesticated for pet purposes, such as potbellied pigs in the Swine clause. The definition of a pet should be changed to read: "Any domesticated animal which is kept for pleasure, rather than utility or sale, in a cage, terrarium, aquarium, or other confinement within a primary dwelling; or any fish or amphibian, which is kept in a pond for pleasure, rather than utility or sale; or any domesticated animal kept or generally housed on property."