LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas – Residents across Liberty County are bringing their own solutions to county commissioners after ongoing issues with stray dogs and dog attacks.
Several people showed up to Liberty County Commissioners Court this morning, demanding the county get an animal shelter and control to help with the issue.
KPRC 2′s Corley Peel spoke with people in the area who have been attacked and helped rescue animals over the years, and they are ready for change.
“They are going to kill someone,” resident Brat Hilton said. “There’s no animal shelter at all, and there needs to be a shelter.”
“I have been mauled, I have been attacked by a dog, drug up a flight of stairs,” neighbor Katrina Byrd said. “I’m done with this. I can’t risk my daughter’s life; I can’t risk my own life or my pet’s life.
Byrd put together a petition eight years ago asking the county for a shelter. She says the only solution she was given by authorities was to shoot a dog if it threatened her life. Unfortunately, she had to do just that.
“I almost went to prison,” she continued. “They tried to slap me with animal cruelty charges and that was some of the worst days of my entire life. That’s why I stopped pursing this petition, because I was advised by my attorney and now, I’m pursuing it again because I don’t know what else to do. This is not fair.”
Byrd needs roughly 3,000 signatures, or 17% of the county, to most likely get her petition on the ballot.
The county judge announced he wouldn’t be commenting or making any decisions during Tuesday’s meeting, since the dog issue was not on the agenda.
Dana Williamson with Savage Cane Corso, LLC says she has solutions.
“What they can do is, you can apply once a year for different grants,” Williamson said. “There are federal level grants that come from the state and there are also private grants from people like the ASPCA, the Humane Society and even private donors have grants.”
KPRC 2 spoke with Liberty County Pct. 3 Commissioner David Whitmire after the meeting. He acknowledged the stray dogs are a problem the county is working to come up with a resolution.
Some neighbors are even taking this stray dog issue to the state capitol. They say they’re going to keep showing up to commissioners’ meetings, signing petitions and doing everything they can to make sure their voices are heard.