Words can’t begin to describe the prostrate frustration that has spun us into a deep, hopeless, depression over the mauling of a Dallas resident by a pack of loose dogs. Our hearts are heavy and our prayers go out to this poor woman and her family as she clings to life.
The Mayor’s and the City’s recent statements in response to the loose dog issues are not alleviating the worry and concern for our fellow citizens’ general safety and quality of life. These statements continue a long pattern of placating empty promises with a lot of talk but no meaningful action and statements that show a general disconnect from the negative reality that is the crisis level animal issue plaguing our southern sector.
We’ll give you an example or two.
THE CITY ON SPAY AND NEUTER EFFORTS:
Mayor Rawlings has been quoted as saying the issues comes down to simple math, “ Dogs can procreate faster than we can spay and neuter them….We’ve got to double up our effort on this.”
Those of you that follow me know that I’m not that good at math, but let’s take a look at the statement. DAS’ new “loose dog initiative” plan calls for 40 spay and neuter surgeries a month. Let’s take the Mayor’s statement and double down and make that 80 spay and neuters a month.
There are approximately 90,000 intact animals living in poverty in South Dallas. If the City doubles down efforts and spay and neuters 80 animals a month, as the Mayor prescribed, that will get this emergency crisis situation under control in about 93 years. I feel safer already.
ON COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DAS AND DPD on DANGEROUS DOGS AND DOG BITES
Back in December 2015 at the Oak Cliff Animal Initiative’s Laws for Paws meeting, we let Jody Jones know there was a huge disconnect and issue with dog bite reporting. There is no meaningful system for full reporting and there is no comprehensive system for data collection. There is no communication or coordination between DPD, DAS, the dangerous dog “department”, and hospitals on dog bite reporting. We let her know again in a meeting in March.
The impact of this chaos is that citizens are left to figure out what to do after being attacked by a dog. Maybe they know, maybe they don’t that DAS is supposed to quarantine an animal for 10 days after a bite to monitor for rabies. Rabies control is one of DAS’ main functions; they should be proactive about this, not reactive.
In this gap, citizens are left to figure out how to get an animal picked up for rabies quarantine and are left alone to figure out how to navigate the cumbersome process of filing a dangerous dog report. Days can go by before an animal with a known address is picked up and quarantined. It is a very broken system lacking in any collaboration and checks and balances to make sure that public safety is priority one.
Additionally, this March we reminded Kris Sweckard and Jody Jones that the system requires an ORR for the dog bite victim to get the owner’s information for the dog that bit the victim. It takes a minimum of 10 days to get back this information. Why is this important? The victim only has 10 days to file a dangerous dog report. You can see that the math does not work in favor of the victim.
Additionally, in March we let Mr. Sweckard and Ms. Jones know that a dog bite victim was having trouble getting his ORR filled. There was no offer of help or any concern for this citizen. This particular dog bite victim has now filed with the Office of the Attorney General so that he can rightfully attain the dog owner’s information for his insurance company.
In the meantime, the dog bite victim’s name and address are open to the public to view. Seems a little silly that the victim’s information is public but the law breaker’s info is not. DAS and Mr. Sweckard were not interested in looking into these process and procedure issues and the matter was closed as far as they were concerned. The public does not consider this addressed or resolved in anyway and the tragic mauling of a south Dallas resident highlights these issues even more.
LOOSE DOGS
The loose dog discussion will get a future post of its own. We’re making a timeline of the City’s “efforts” to pick up loose dogs. It’s a long, frustrating journey to today where a Dallas resident sits in a medically induced coma clinging to life. In our neighborhood, we are all aware that in a blink of an eye, that woman could have been or could still be any of us.
This tragedy might not have happened if the City had taken the citizen’s concerns about the process to report dog bites and dangerous dog, and the known issues with “311 vs 911” more seriously back in December. This may not have happened if DAS had taken the citizens concerns about loose dogs seriously for the last 4 years. This may not have happened if DAS was not so busy dismissing the will of the citizens and the directives of City Council.
This sadness and powerlessness weighs heavily on our hearts. It makes us feel voiceless and dismissed, and at what cost. After years of watching our neighbors, our neighbors’ dogs, and our mailman be attacked and bitten, we always come back to this same simple question to the City, “What’s it going to take for the City take this seriously? Does someone have to die?” Well, here we are praying that someone doesn’t die. And as we always do, we’ll close with this: Mr. Mayor when you are serious about solving this City’s crisis level animal issues, give us a call.
P.S.
Mr. Mayor, The Dallas Morning News thinks you should call us too – check out #2. They mean us as well as others. This is not the first time the DMN editorial page has suggested you call us. We’re standing by ready to help.
I have a question on the dog bites. When I was bit by a dog at the vet clinic and had to go to the emergency room a police officer showed up on the spot at the hospital. A police officer showed up every time an employee was bit. It was the law. What is the difference here? If the doctor calls it in They must come. Do the victims doctors not call? Just curious.
Bonnie Hill, were you bitten in the City of Dallas? Hospitals in Dallas are required to report, but there is no meaningful process from there. Additionally, if hospitalization or medical attention is not required and therefore does not trigger mandatory reporting, there is often confusion and assumptions about how and who is going to make the report. Dog bites can be reported to DAS or through DPD, but what happens next is a bit of a mess. This is what the City and the Mayor were talking about improving in their press conference yesterday and today. DAS and DPD do not communicate well between the agencies or with the citizens about next steps, or about the required rabies quarantine and how it will happen, nor do they communicate well with the public about the potential to create a dangerous dog report. According to DAS, the dangerous dog reporting mechanism does not involved DAS and is a separate process. It’s a problem that can be easily solved with a collaborative attitude and a full assessment of process and procedure.
No it was in Kaufman cointy and of course the clinic is too. At the hospital the sheriffs office came, At the clinic the Crandall police. Maybe it’s simple cause it’s a small area but seemed organized and well processed. Quick and easier. I know a lot of the cases your talking about May be loose dogs too so know one knows wh i owns them. Hopefully this can be fixed in a simple procedure. The more agencies involved the more difficult it would seem. But I don’t know for sure. I have not studied this yet. Guess should be on my list. Thanks
For God’s sake mayor, city council!!
You can continue to condescend to the pleas of Rescue Groups or you can get your act together and make this the TOP OF YOUR AGENDA..
This has been a serious problem for years. I just can’t figure out the reason you don’t care about it….maybe you will decide to work asa cohesive unit with DAS and the Rescue Groups….
Now that we are all praying there will not be a death.
If you and the city council decide not to address this..There are PLENTY of people who will.
It’s your decision.
We will expect to hear your plans.
We will be ready to help.
It’s about priorities. Even with the major improvements at DAS, animal issues still aren’t much of a concern for those outside of those being directly impacted. There is no focus and any long term plan despite the answers that are right in front of our noses. But this will take money (i.e. Increased taxes) but like our deteriorating roads, everyone is complaining but no one is willing to pay for it.