Sadly, last night it was reported that two roaming German Shepherds killed a beloved neighborhood Chihuahua. Our hearts go out to our neighbors.
It is that time of year when the number of loose dogs is on the rise. Reporting loose dogs is key to preventing attacks on smaller animals and to preventing dog packs. Calling 311 can be frustrating as the Animal Services reporting process is not an instant gratification type of service experience, but documenting the dogs and calling them in is still very important.
If someone is being actively menaced or attacked by a dog, call 911. This is very important as 311 has up to 72 hours to respond to a call. Emergency = 911
If it isn’t an emergency but you see dogs loose in the area, please note as much information as you can about them: the number of dogs, color, breed, location, direction of travel, etc. Pictures and videos are helpful and can be passed onto Animal Services during regular business hours.
During business hours, you can contact:
the Animal Rapid Response line at 214-670-FAST (3278).
If it’s after hours, please call 311 (For mobile phones, call 214-670-5111) and be patient. Don’t be confused by the rapid response title – there is not much rapid about this process, but hope for the best.
Animal Services doesn’t dispatch its officers based on each report, they compile the reports from 311 and other sources on a weekly basis to plan systematic “sweeps” of areas with frequent reports of dog problems. More calls = more targeted services.
If you see repeat offender “owned dogs” roaming around, let your Crime Watch block captains know. They can work with Animal Services to educate the owners about animal confinement laws and work to keep the animals safely confined as the law requires.
Gypsy Dog Ops is currently working with city of Dallas to reform Animal Services policy regarding 311 calls, field services policies, and other issues that reflect loose and feral dog issues in our neighborhood. If you would like to share your experience or concerns with us, we are happy to forward your concerns during our meetings with the city. Feel free to email us through the contact page, post here on our blog, or on our facebook page. We are also happy to facilitate conversations with any immediate emergency needs of the neighborhood. You can read more about our work towards ongoing reform on our blog.
Update: since we first posted this article, 311 had introduced an app for your smart phone. You can report loose dogs via the app. Check out our link to learn about the app. You may also report loose dogs through the City’s website.
Elisabeth – sorry, I accidentally deleted your post when I temporarily broke the website yesterday – to answer your question, “What do you do with stray dogs found?” – I posted a new post addressing this question – “What to do with when you find a stray dog”. I hope you find it helpful.