SAN ANTONIO - A homeowner wouldn’t reveal her name, but she and her husband want to expose a problem they believe is putting human and animal safety at risk, next door.
“She's got too many dogs, besides all the puppies, there were 20 at first, three have died,” the homeowner said.
The husband said they contacted Animal Care Services twice in the past week to get help. He believes the dogs are a safety risk for three children living inside the house, as well as neighbors.
"They were emaciated and it appeared to me like they had started turning wild,” said the homeowner.
When we approached the house next door, there was a strong odor. We spoke briefly with a woman inside about how many dogs she had in her care.
"Just like I said, I have a male and female. They had puppies, on accident, and I am giving them away to friends and family," she insisted.
The woman admitted to caring for at least two adult dogs and 11 puppies.
Neighbors say they tried to feed the animals. They also recently snapped pictures to show the living conditions. They showed us photographs of puppies kept in a enclosure containing spilled food and feces. He said they spent too much time on wet, smelly bedding.
The woman responsible for the animals told us she didn’t want to put the dogs in a shelter. She's afraid they might be euthanized.
"She has a heart bigger than Texas,” said the homeowner.
The owner of the dogs said her mother owned the house and allowed her to stay there with animals. However, she admits the homeowners association limits the number of dogs.
"Even if those animals are put down, that's better than the kind of lifestyle they have right now,” said the homeowner.
We contacted Animal Care Services as we were leaving the home.
Neighbors contacted us again, because he said the woman’s boyfriend was loading several dogs into a car. When we arrived, he sped away. Now neighbors wonder what will happen to the dogs.
If you have concerns about animal neglect, safety or vicious dogs, just contact Animal Care Services by dialing 311 or check the website for information
HERE.
