Eleven dogs are now in the care of San Antonio Animal Care Services after city crews pulled them out of a West Side home around noon Wednesday, where floors and furniture were reportedly soaked in urine and piles of feces. The house, near Vera Cruz and Southwest 19th Street, has turned into yet another animal neglect case that is putting fresh strain on an already packed city shelter.
The dogs are receiving veterinary evaluations and treatment, but every new intake means less room for the next emergency. Staff members are now racing to line up short-term homes so they can keep kennel space open for animals that cannot wait.
Shelter seeks emergency fosters
The shelter is urgently asking residents to take in dogs on a short-term foster basis, roughly a three week commitment, so staff can free space for medical care and new intakes, according to WOAI. The city's foster program provides food, medical care and supplies for animals in foster homes, the Animal Care Services website says, so volunteers are mainly asked to provide time, space and a safe place to land.
Residents interested in helping can visit the shelter at 4710 State Highway 151, which is open through 7 p.m., or email [email protected] for details.
Overcrowding and repeated neglect cases
The West Side rescue is not an isolated incident. Local agencies have handled multiple large rescues in recent weeks. In mid March, deputies found seven dogs in a locked RV in "deplorable" conditions, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
All of this is unfolding as Animal Care Services works to expand its in house veterinary capacity. In February, the city broke ground on a new shelter hospital intended to ease pressure on the crowded West Side campus. The timing is notable, since April is nationally recognized as Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month, the ASPCA notes.
Anyone interested in fostering one of the rescued West Side dogs can email [email protected] or check the Animal Care Services site for hours and details. ACS is asking for about a three week commitment while the dogs recover and are evaluated for longer term placement.
