LONGVIEW, Texas — Officials and community members in Longview are voicing their opinions as the city council creates a plan to deal with stray dogs within city limits.
"I’m glad they’re doing something. I mean still doing something basically," Linda Carrier said.
Longview City Council plans to further investigate the stray dogs issue within the city after Carrier lost her son, Kenneth Pierson, back in February to a dog attack near MLK Blvd. and Rayburn Drive.
Longview Mayor Kristen Ishihara said the council wants to get the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee together, so they can brainstorm solutions as well as get feedback and ideas from the community.
"There is nothing more important for a council member or mayor to be doing than making sure residents feel safe in Longview. That’s our primary job -- public safety. So just providing an opportunity where people that have those issues, have had those issues in the past, can come and make sure they have a place where they feel like they’re being heard," Ishihara said.
Bonnie Hubbard, Animal Shelter Advisory Committee member, said that the committee plans to attend Longview’s next council meeting on June 13 and make a date for the committee to meet and gather public comment.
"I want to see more vans patrolling, and yes, I do want to see more training. I think it should be outlawed for a person to train a dog to kill a person. It should be outlawed. I think it should be outlawed for people having dogs fight each other. That’s horrible. I love animals. I don’t think it’s right for them to do that," Carrier said.
Ishihara said if citizens need any sort of assistance dealing with strays reach out to your city officials.
"At this time though, residents would be welcome to call city hall, call their city council person, call me, email any of those people. All of our normal channels of engagement would be appropriate to reach out as well," Ishihara said.