Speakers Press Fannin Commissioners on Hooves and Feathers Petting Farm Animal-Care Complaints

A routine Fannin County Board of Commissioners meeting ran far longer than planned on June 9 after residents used public comment to raise animal-care complaints about Hooves and Feathers Petting Farm in Morganton — including a speaker who identified herself as a minor — turning a roughly 15-minute agenda into a nearly hour-long session, according to The News Observer. For families across Blue Ridge and Fannin County who visit the farm or follow local animal-welfare issues, the meeting put a spotlight on how the county fields and investigates those complaints.

What happened at the meeting

The session was scheduled to be brief, but public commentary stretched it to nearly an hour, the newspaper reported. Among those who spoke was a young person who identified herself as a minor and addressed concerns tied to the Morganton petting farm. The board meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Fannin County Courthouse, 400 West Main St. in Blue Ridge.

Commissioner meetings allot time for residents to bring matters directly to the board, and animal-care concerns are among the topics neighbors often raise. The volume of comment on this issue is what set the June 9 meeting apart.

About the farm

Hooves and Feathers Petting Farm sits on 38 acres at 225 Turning Lay Creek Road in Morganton, between Blue Ridge and Blairsville. It bills itself as a family-owned, farm-animal–focused operation that hosts visits, parties, and photography sessions, and also travels as a mobile petting farm. It is a familiar agritourism stop for area families and is listed among local attractions. The complaints aired at the meeting have not been independently confirmed by this site, and the farm's response, if any, was not detailed in the available reporting.

How the county handles animal-care complaints

In Fannin County, animal cruelty complaints are investigated by Fannin County Animal Control in conjunction with the Sheriff's Office, according to the county. The agency is led by Director Casey Daniel and operates a small facility at 1001 Fannin Industrial Park in Blue Ridge. The shelter primarily houses stray and quarantined dogs rather than serving as a full humane society, the county notes.

Residents who want to weigh in on policy can also address the Board of Commissioners during public comment. The board can be reached at 706-632-2203, and the county publishes its meeting schedule and ordinances online.

What's still unconfirmed

Several details remain open. Full reporting on the speakers' specific claims is behind a subscription, and the county had not publicly outlined whether an active investigation, citation, or enforcement step is underway. This site has not independently verified the complaints. We'll update as official information becomes available.

Where to follow it

The commissioners' next regular meetings fall on the county's standing second- and fourth-Tuesday schedule at the courthouse, where residents can hear any further discussion and continue to give public comment.

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