Dogs that have become long-term residents of the Brookshire animal shelter are finally getting new homes.
Mayor Joey Vaughn announced he has reached an agreement with Animal Rescue Corps to relocate the 21 dogs to other shelters where they have a chance of being adopted.
The move came following a recent inspection that found 10 of Brookshire’s holding pens “unacceptable” under state standards.
The Brookshire animal shelter, located behind the police department, has been a problem for several years. Virtually all of the dogs held in the collection of covered pens have been confined for several years despite a city ordinance that says they will only be held for three days.
The city has no animal control officer; a public works employee feeds and cares for the dogs on a part-time basis. There is also no active adoption effort for the dogs, and no one designated to enforce the city’s stray animal ordinance.
Additionally, although the city ordinance requires dogs to be registered, the lack of an animal control officer makes it a voluntary process that most residents ignore.
Vaughn said the rescue group will find the dogs new homes or place those that are not candidates for adoption in “no-kill” facilities. The mayor stressed the dogs will not be euthanized.
“The City of Brookshire is not euthanizing any animals,” he said.
Vaughn noted the city had euthanized only one dog in the past four years, and that was because of health issues.
The relocation will take place “probably over a period of several days” beginning this week, the mayor said.
Typical Brookshire. Push the city problems off on some other entity. No money for a dog catcher!!!!!! Of course that has nothing to do with the stagnant tax base and no growth. If the Mayor cares so much about animals why does he not donate money from his highest mayoral salary in the area. I have visited the facility behind the cop shop and it is abyssmal, another trait of crappy criminal Crookshire. They treat the citizens like they treat the unwanted dogs in the city, unacceptably. I guess the schools and the dog pound share similar traits and attitudes. Lets do the minimium and keep it crappy.