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Animal Control is now Animal Services
Animal services
Commissioners voted to change Newton County Animal Control to Newton County Animal Services at their Jan. 21 meeting. Officials said new name more accurately reflects the services offered at the facility on Lower River Road.. - photo by Darryl Welch

Covington, Ga. - The Newton County Board of commissioners voted Jan. 21 to change the name of the county's animal control department from Newton County Animal Control to Newton County Animal Services. 

The department's Director Cindy Wiemann told commissioners the new name is more reflective of the services being offered these days by animal control departments around the country.

"For the last, probably, 15-20 years, it's been a growing trend across the nation to change from animal control to animal services, which truly reflects more on what animal control does," she said, "We're no longer the dog catchers. Right now, we've really been promoting adoptions, transfers to rescues. Last year, our euthanasia rate dropped to 30 percent, which is a drastic change over where it was two years ago.

"We're promoting spay and neutering programs, so the change to animal services truly reflects what we're trying to achieve for Newton County. Additionally, with the shelter renovation and addition, I just felt it would be a really good time to update and project what animal control does in a more positive way."

District 2 Commissioner Demond Mason said he supports the change.

"This is one of the things that I asked for last year - to move from control to services," he said, "because I think that it does bring more positive reinforcement to our community to let them know that we're not here just to euthanize. We are here to provide service to our community."

 Commissioners approved the change 5-0.







April 3 crash kills two young adults, injures third
Newton County Sheriff Car---WEB

NEWTON COUNTY — Around 10 a.m. on Thursday, a head-on collision on Highway 212 left two young adults dead and a third hospitalized.

Joe Navarro, 21, was driving the vehicle and Breanna Smith, 18, was in the passenger seat. Katie New, 20, sat between them.

According to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, the vehicle lost control while going around a curve and crossed the centerline, where it collided head-on with a box truck. The crash report shows that their vehicle traveled another hundred feet after impact before coming to a stop. It spun, ended up facing the opposite direction on the shoulder of the opposite lane.

Navarro and Smith were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. New was airlifted to Grady Hospital. Her current condition is not known. 

Navarro, Smith and New were not believed to be wearing seatbelts when the collision occurred.

The driver of the box truck was not reported to have suffered any injuries.

This is an ongoing story. The News will post updates as they are made available.