Franklin County board in Benton weighs animal-control fee increase
Benton, IL – Franklin County’s May 18 board agenda put an animal-control fee increase on the table, but no adopted rate change is posted yet.
Franklin County’s May 18 board agenda in Benton included an item to approve an increase in animal-control service fees. The posted record does not show a final vote or a revised fee schedule, so the change should be treated as proposed, not adopted.
That local connection matters because the county board meets at the Franklin County Courthouse at 100 Public Square, and Franklin County Animal Control operates from 13163 Oddfellow Lane in Benton. Animal control is also listed under the board’s Public Safety committee, which covers rabies and animal-control matters.
What the county charges now
The county’s current animal-control fee schedule lists a $180 fee for a 10-day bite quarantine, a $30 euthanasia fee if the animal is not cleared by a vet, and pick-up fees of $25 for a first altered-animal offense or $50 for a first unaltered-animal offense, plus $5 a day. Repeat pick-up fees rise to $50 and $100 for a second offense, then $100 and $150 for a third offense.
The schedule also lists relinquish fees of $25 for an up-to-date, altered animal or a litter of 1-5 puppies or kittens, and $50 for a not-up-to-date, unaltered animal or a litter of 5-14. Those are the baseline charges residents can use to judge any increase.
Why it matters
If the board advances the proposal, the practical question for Benton-area pet owners is how much more it will cost to reclaim a pet, handle a bite case, or surrender an animal. Until the county posts a new ordinance, minutes, or fee sheet, the current schedule is the best guide.
The agenda also listed the next Franklin County Board meeting for Monday, June 1, 2026. That is the next chance for county leaders to clarify whether the fee proposal is moving ahead, changing shape, or waiting for another round of discussion.
