City of McAllen Changes Approach to Animal Services
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Jul 16, 2023, 0 Comments
Courtesy Xochitl Mora,
New philosophy, new uniforms, new department and new name to give Animal Care Services new direction for stray, neglected and abused animals in McAllen
(McAllen, Texas)-The City of McAllen is changing the philosophy, actions and name of Animal Control, previously under the McAllen Police Department’s purview. While the duties and responsibility remain the same – enforcing city and state codes, rules, and regulations and investigating animal neglect and cruelty cases – the division’s new name and department will better identify their approach to the welfare of animals in McAllen. The Animal Care Services will now be housed under the McAllen Health & Code Enforcement Department.
“Mahatma Ghandhi once said ‘The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated,’” said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E. “For the City of McAllen, our goal is to stop the overcrowding at PVAS and to help find homes for all stray animals. This requires a change in the way we care for the animals in our city, both by our approach and together with our residents, to ensure that there are no longer unwanted, abused or unloved pets who have to be euthanized, only to make room for more unwanted, abused or unloved pets.”
The biggest change in the new philosophy for Animal Control Services is how the division will approach picking up strays or suspected animal abuse. Many pets often get loose and if picked up and dropped off at Palm Valley Animal Society, the City of McAllen’s partner animal shelter facility, pets are more often than not, unable to be found and returned to their owner. From now on, residents are asked to try to shelter loose pets and try to identify or locate the pet’s proper owner. This will help prevent over-crowding at PVAS.
If anyone witnesses an animal being abused, neglected, or an animal attack in progress, they call 9-1-1 immediately. If residents are concerned about an animal being neglected or suspect abuse, they should call 3-1-1, McAllen’s 3-1-1 Customer Service Call Center.
Calls for abuse include: animal in danger, injured, abused or neglected; animal attack against a person; aggressive animal reasonably going to attack a person; wildlife that is sick, injured; unsanitary conditions; failure to restrain or follow McAllen’s leash law; barking dog nuisance; dead animal pick-up on public right of way or roads; and illegal animal sales.
Another change in the approach to animal care and protection is the responsibility of the community and pet owners. Owning a pet is a privilege and should result in a mutually beneficial relationship. The benefits of pet ownership come with responsibilities.
