ACS plans forced sterilizations, anonymous complaints about dangerous dogs and higher fines for repeat offenders

SAN ANTONIO – Animal Protection Services wants to see less barking and more biting when it comes to tackling the problem of loose and dangerous dogs in San Antonio.

Acting ACS Director Mike Shannon outlined several ways to crack down on dog owners during a presentation Tuesday to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee. The five-member committee gave its blessing to allow the use of anonymous complaints to trigger investigations into dangerous dogs, and a full council vote is expected in December on changes allowing the forced sterilization of some free-roaming dogs. and heavier fines for owners whose dogs repeatedly wander. or bite people.

All three possible changes were prompted by a request from District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito, but ACS plans to do more. Shannon said the department is already proactively inspecting “repeat offenders” and the city also plans to push for stricter dangerous dog laws in the next state legislative session.

In general, Shannon said ACS also plans to give fewer warnings and more citations.

“When we go out there and talk to pet owners who are being irresponsible, we can no longer give them the benefit of the doubt,” Shannon told committee members.

Alderete Gavito, who is also a member of the Public Security Committee, believes that tougher sanctions are necessary. The first-year city councilor says she’s heard from residents who can’t walk in their neighborhood or are afraid to let their children walk to school.

“It’s not a dog problem. It’s a people problem,” she said.

Here is an overview of the different changes.

Higher fines for repeat offenders

The city’s recommended minimum fines for ACS violations are currently $100 for the first offense, $200 for the second, and $300 for the third or more.

Shannon said many violations involved loose dogs and he recommended increasing fines for second and third violations to $500 and $750, respectively.

He also suggested that fines for owners who fail to stop their dogs from biting be increased to a minimum of $1,000. A second offense would cost $1,500 and a third or more would cost $2,000.

“I understand that the fines are severe, but so are the consequences of doing nothing,” Alderete Gavito said. “So we have to go all out. We cannot be lenient on this issue. »

The changes require a vote by the city council.

ANONYMOUS REPORTS OF DANGEROUS DOGS

Dogs that attack humans may be labeled “dangerous” and their owners must follow strict requirements regarding fencing, signage, use of muzzles and insurance. The city allows similar restrictions for “aggressive” dogs that attack other animals.

But to get this designation, a person must first submit an affidavit detailing the attack they witnessed. Although the city receives about 300 such affidavits each year, Shannon said some people are still hesitant to submit one.

“We have heard feedback from some residents who are simply not coming forward to fill out the information because they fear retaliation,” he said. “Maybe the neighbor will suspect that he was the one who called his animals and started the investigation.”

ACS now plans to accept affidavits under a pseudonym, such as “John Doe.” Although that would be enough to trigger an investigation, Shannon said the person’s real name would have to be made public if the dog’s owner were to appeal the designation in court.

Some council members expressed concern about filing false complaints as a way to advance a neighborhood dispute, but Shannon said ACS investigates every complaint. If there is no evidence, the case is classified as “unfounded.”

Shannon said ACS will begin working with the city attorney’s office to roll out the pseudonymous complaint process “very quickly.”

FORCED STERILIZATIONS

Nearly two out of five loose dogs returned to their owners during the city’s last fiscal year were still not sterilized when they were returned.

But even though their owners were ordered to have their pets spayed or neutered within 30 days, ACS was lax in ensuring they actually did so.

Over the past three years, ACS has only fulfilled 26 percent of its sterilization orders, although that figure increased to 69 percent last year.

With the board’s approval, Shannon said ACS will begin sterilizing some dogs before they are returned to their owners, particularly those that are picked up on the ACS campus.

It would take too long for ACS officers to return all the loose dogs to campus, he said. Many loose dogs are returned directly to their neighboring homes if officers can determine who their owner is.

However, Shannon said that “we absolutely must ensure 100% issuance and follow-up of these sterilization orders, now and in the future.”.”

Owners who fail to comply with the sterilization order may be cited.

PROACTIVE INSPECTIONS

Starting in October, Shannon said ACS officers began making proactive visits to “repeat offenders.”

There are 252 addresses in the city with multiple bite incidents in the past three years, he said, and another 126 addresses with one bite incident and at least one successive ACS citation.

“We need to go knock on these doors before we get the next three calls. And there is an incident,” he said.

So far, ACS has visited about 85 homes to check if they are currently in compliance and ask them if they need anything to ensure they can be compliant.

“But the most important thing is that they know … that we’re monitoring them because we can’t have these usual instances of unsafe conditions,” Shannon said.

STRONGER STATE LAWS

The Texas Legislature meets in January and the city plans to work with the local delegation to lobby for

The city wants its animal protection officers to be able to file an affidavit regarding a dangerous dog instead of a complaint filed by a resident. Although they can already file an affidavit, this is only allowed if the officer actually witnessed the attack themselves. The city wants the officer to be able to file it after gathering evidence.

The city also wants tougher penalties for owners of dangerous dogs and also ban owners of repeat dangerous dogs from owning pets in the future.