San Antonio has been grappling with a rash of severe dog attacks throughout 2023, leaving the local community shaken and in search of solutions. Effie Washington, a resident of the East Side neighborhood, is one of many who have experienced the terror of such incidents first-hand. In a November incident, Washington was besieged by two dogs, suffering injuries severe enough to require multiple surgeries, as reported by KSAT. "One grabbed the ear, pulled me. And the other grabbed me here," Washington said, still in the midst of recovery from her wounds which included a reattached ear and over 100 stitches to her legs from a previous attack.
The city's problem with dog attacks is not isolated to painful injuries but has also proven fatal for some. Earlier in the year, an 81-year-old man, Ramon Najera, encountered a grisly fate when he was mauled to death on February 24 on Depla Street. The attack, which also injured three others including his wife and two first responders, prompted the arrest of the dogs' owner, Christian Alexander Moreno, who is now facing serious criminal charges. As per a KSAT report, Moreno has been charged with a felony for the dog attack that caused death and injury to an elderly individual.
The issue appears to stem from pet owners lapses in controlling their animals. Shannon Sims, director of San Antonio's Animal Care Services, noted that although the number of animal bites in the city has stayed consistent, the severity of attacks has intensified. In an effort to mitigate the risk to the public, ACS has taken initiative by establishing a Dangerous Dog Registry, an online map indicating the residences of dogs previously identified as threats due to past aggressive behavior.
Some of the attacks have been linked to negligence, while at least one was deemed intentional. Marcus Davila, 40, allegedly let his dog loose to attack another man during an argument, leading to his arrest on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The multiplicity of such incidents and the subsequent legal ramifications for irresponsible dog owners underscore the gravity of the problem facing San Antonio. Sims relayed to KSAT that, "I can't think of a single case this year that was a serious dog bite that was a stray. Every single one of these animals we’ve been able to attribute to an owner."
