Hill County Citizens view County Animal Control as a Priority
County animal control programs are not foreign to many living in our area of central
Texas. If fact, over 2.2 million people living in the counties of Bastrop, Bell,
Brazos, Burnet, Caldwell, Coryell, Fayette, Hays, Lampasas, Llano, McClennan (through
Waco for rabies control), Travis, Washington (through Brenham for rabies control),
and Williamson have some level of animal control for their citizens (interestingly,
six of these counties are equal to or smaller than the population of Hill County).
Why does Hill County remain without an animal control program? It’s simple, animal
control has yet to be determined a “priority” by our elected officials even with
our ever worsening pet overpopulation where dangerous feral dog packs roam uncontrolled,
unwanted dogs and cats breed at will, and criminal abuse and “dumping” is common-place—all
stemming from one common source—irresponsible individuals. In a democracy, citizens
are at the top of the organizational structure. Elected officials of the aforementioned
counties have viewed animal control as a core service expected by their tax paying
constituents. The safety of residents is given top priority. To enrich the community
we call home, we in Hill County can do the same.
Pet overpopulation can simply be corrected with the placement of three “proactive”
programs—Education, Low Cost Pet Sterilization, and Legislation (enforcement of
animal control laws). As a group of citizens, Paw Pals has taken serious initiatives
with the formation of two of three necessary proactive programs—Education and Low
Cost Pet Sterilization. The remaining program, proactive enforcement of animal control
laws, remains to be improved in Hill County. Proactively enforcing existing State
of Texas animal control laws in our county has been repressed because of the absence
of a county-level animal shelter. In other words, no place exists for citizens to
surrender unwanted pets or to place free-roaming pets—so, we create an environment
in the very place we call home where dog and cats simple proliferate at their natural
exponential rate. Ignorance driven by a sense of desperation leads irresponsible
persons with unwanted pets to either dump them or abandon them, leaving the law-biding
and responsible citizens to pick up the pieces.
The following are but two examples how “proactive” enforcement of animal control
laws can encourage responsible pet ownership. Hill County has some 12,204 households
where over half, on average, own two dogs and/or cats (based on HSUS formula). Therefore,
some 28,000 dogs and cats live within Hill County’s households (this figure does
include our abundant “stray” pet population). It is estimated that from 50-70% of
dogs and cats are not current with the rabies virus vaccinations (nearly 100% of
“strays” are not vaccinated). This means that up to 19,000 pets living with families
in Hill County are not protected from the deadly rabies virus in Hill County—an
area already quarantined by Texas Department of Health Services for rabies. If the
pets are unvaccinated, then their owners are also unprotected in the event of exposure.
Does it make sense to expose our children to such a dangerous environment? It is
common place in Hill County to “dump” dogs or cats near schools with the criminal-mannered
notion that school children will take home the unwanted dogs. Not having dogs and
cats vaccinated against rabies after four months of age is a Class C Misdemeanor
punishable with a $300 fine (THSC Chapter 826). The enforcement of this very State
of Texas law could be the key to encouraging pet owners to take responsibility to
vaccinate their pets and this step often leads to the next step in responsible ownership—sterilizing
pets. The second law is one that most are not familiar with—“Dogs Dangerous to Other
Animals” law (THSC Chapter 822, Sub-Chapter B) where “the owner or keeper of a dog
that the person knows is accustomed to chase or kill livestock, domestic animals
(yes, your cat), or fowl (yes, your chickens) may not allow the dog to run at large.
The penalty of the owner who allows his dog to run at large is in violation and
can be punished with a fine not to exceed $100.” Sloppy, irresponsible habits of
pet owners can be corrected with education and the proactive enforcement of laws
and the very real risk of fines.
Please come join the grassroots efforts of citizens with Hill County Paw Pals. Together
we can bring positive change to our community. Paw Pals has a public meeting on
the first Thursday of each month at their property location: 1500 South Abbott Avenue
in Hillsboro (next to TXDOT). Please visit www.hcpawpals.org for more information
call 254.580.0679 or email hcpawpals@yahoo.com.