Dallas woman dies after being mauled by pack of dogs in city

[hamsterjill]

19. If Dallas is like San Antonio, roaming packs are becoming more common.

San Antonio is in the midst of trying to become "no kill".

Please understand that I am an animal lover and I want nothing more than for every companion animal to have a loving home, proper care, and respect.

In San Antonio, at least, the City is trying to appear that it has reached "no kill" without actually becoming "no kill". You see, "no kill" is defined as 90% of the healthy, adoptable dogs and cats making it out of the city pound. But what this has become is a numbers game. The City of San Antonio publishes many fluff media pieces and feel good stories that it has reached no kill status, but in all reality, it is failing to address the very large numbers of dogs that roam the streets. If the City doesn't pick up and impound these dogs, then the dogs are not counted against the City's statistics that make up that magical 90% number.

We have a growing problem because of irresponsible people. It is not a dog's fault that a dog acts like a dog. The fault lies on the irresponsible owners who get a puppy, and then when that puppy grows up and isn't as cute anymore, requires actual manual labor to care for, whines, barks, pukes, poops, etc., they throw it out to fend for itself. The City needs to go after these "owners" and hit their pocket books. Because the same owner that throws one out will have another one in a week or two, and the cycle repeats itself over and over and over again. The roaming dogs breed unrestrained, they are hit by cars, they kill, they spread disease, and they break your heart.

But, it's all about making the public feel good that San Antonio is a "no kill" city.

Rest assured that there are many, many small, independent rescue groups working in San Antonio to promote spay/neuter and to rescue and rehome as many dogs as possible. There are drives during winter months for dog houses to give to dogs that don't have any shelter whatsoever. There are food drives, and there are rabies clinics. But until the City itself steps up and does something about these irresponsible owners (i.e., fine them, etc. - which rescue groups do not have the authority to do obviously), it is a never ending, growing problem.