Cat Castration Hearing Postponed

A Magistrate Court hearing over the animal cruelty summons issued against Stephens County High School teacher Daniel Hebert will not happen today.

Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter Director Jeff Roberts said that hearing has been postponed.

Roberts said no new date has been set at this time.

Animal control issued a summons to Hebert last month to appear in Magistrate Court on two counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

All of that centers around the apparent castration of two cats by Hebert in an Animal Science class at the high school a number of weeks ago.

Meanwhile, a meeting that was supposed to take place on Monday between officials from the city, county, and shelter to discuss the animal control ordinance also did not take place due to what were termed scheduling conflicts.

Stephens County Commissioner Dennis Bell said that meeting’s purpose was to clarify things in the animal control ordinance, including the issue of the swearing in of the animal control officer.

A number of people who support Hebert have questioned the right of the animal control officer to issue the summons, saying he was not sworn in and therefore cannot issue the summons.

Until that matter is resolved, Roberts said they have changed the procedure regarding animal control citations slightly.

“The animal control officer is still doing his job as he always has,” said Roberts. “The difference is when he has a need to write the citation, he will call the police department or the sheriff’s office to come out and actually write the citation.”

Roberts went on to say that this will avoid any issues coming up until everything is cleared up.

“Although the city or county ordinance does not spell out anything requiring an officer to be sworn, because some issues have been raised, the governments are looking at that issue and to ensure every citation we are writing is enforceable, on a short term basis, we are asking the P.D. or Sheriff’s Office to actually write the citation.”

Meanwhile, city officials said that Municipal Court has currently put on hold any animal control citations brought forth solely by the Animal Control officer until the questions are resolved.