Dallas City Council, Remember This Photo When You Vote on Animal Shelter Changes

This photo, taken by Dallas animal shelter staff earlier this month, is indeed worth 1,000 words: It's kitten and puppy season, which means the little ones are arriving by the basket loads at the always-strained-for-space city operation.More than 100 animals have been dropped off most every day in recent weeks; on June 6 alone, the tally was 199. Shelter workers say they can't recall a month when so many newborn dogs and cats came through the doors.Yet thanks to the hard-working shelter staff, led by Dallas Police Maj. Barbara Hobbs, along with a supportive community and a still-growing team of rescue partners, the live release rate for May remained well over 70 percent.The late-spring spike in births, along with field officers' continued success in getting more loose dogs off the streets of southern Dallas, is a timely reminder as City Council members prepare to vote on crucial animal ordinance changes Wednesday.If passed, the new rules will greatly assist the city's Department of Animal Care Services, formerly Dallas Animal Services, in doing an even better job — both in terms of public safety and animal welfare.  Continue reading...