PINEVILLE - The Bell County Fiscal Court has decided to take its dog pound to the next level. The court has hired Jennifer Nagle to become the new director of the Ferndale facility, effective in October.

Nagle will have to give notice to the state that she no longer will be one of their public defenders, before she can take full control of the new position.

Nagle has a list of goals which will be used to guide the facility to become more of a public service to area residents.

“I have three goals I want to quickly put into effect: Public service and response to all calls; every animal to be treated with humane care and to work with Friends of the Shelter in adopting animals,” Nagle said.

“Every day all telephone calls and time will be logged and how we responded to it. Animal Control Officers will have a daily log of when they responded to a call, and what happened,” explained Nagle.

She is looking to have more officers and eventually wants to have the animal shelter opened later in the afternoons as well as some evenings and Saturdays.

“Every animal has to be humanely treated from when they enter the facility, until they leave,” she said.

While the shelter receives injured animals she is wanting to hire veterinarian Dr. Ann Combs, part-time, to treat sick and hurt animals. Nagle says while not every animal can be helped, they can be treated humanely while under the county's care.

The third and immediate goal Nagle has is to involve Friends of the Shelter in the adoption process along with volunteering services at the animal shelter. At the present adoptable animals are being advertised in newspapers, on television and the Internet. These animals have been spayed or neutered and have had their shots.

“We have a lot of goals and want to get law enforcement officers involved and let them know we will be cooperative. We also want to apply for grant monies and eventually we want to be able to take cats into the shelter,” Nagle stated.

Nagle says for animal control to work the facility will need help from Middlesboro, Pineville, Bell County officials, and the public.

“A lot depends on how well the county and city governments work together and how they put it all together,” she said.

Nagle says she has a lot of other goals that will be implemented over time. However, she will concentrate on getting her three immediate goals working, before proceeding to the next step.

C.J. Harte is a Correspondent for the Daily News. He can be reached via e-mail at charte@middlesborodailynews.com.