SAN ANTONIO — Atascosa Animal Control seized 29 dogs from what they’re calling a 'hoarding situation'. They said dogs were chained to trees, living amongst garbage.
Henry Dominguez, director of Atascosa Animal Control Division said it will take hours to obtain the dozens of dogs on the property at W. FM 476. In the backyard he describes the dogs as ‘vicious’.
“These poor animals are having to sleep on the junk," he said. "Having to walk around in junk. Some of them the junk is actually their shelter.”
Officials with Atascosa County are calling the living conditions amongst the 29 dogs deplorable.
“All the animals are chained down to some object," Dominguez said. "They do have a form of shelter, and they do have water. The food situation is what concerns me, there is no food on the property that I can see.”
With dogs living in filth, the Atascosa Animal Control team led by Henry Dominguez investigated the property after receiving a complaint, and deemed the property ‘animal cruelty’.
"It is our determination that these dogs are not in the best of health, and we’re going to take them in and evaluate them," he said. "Have a vet look at them and serve ‘due process’."
Shortly after the seizure began, Patricia Stone, who claims to be the homeowner and rescuer of the dogs on her property, arrived.
“Animal Control should’ve been here," he said. "I mean they need to be here. People leave these dogs tied to my fence, they leave me crates of puppies. I come home and they’re here. I’m not going to say no because three dogs lost their life saving mine.”
Stone said she doesn’t ask for help and she's been trying to take care of the dogs herself.
“I just couldn’t dig myself out," she said. "Dominguez is helping me. Animal control is here to help me with them, and we’ll take it from there.”
Director Henry Dominguez mentioned Patricia Stone is cooperating with the division – but ultimately the decision for what happens next is up to the district attorney. Dominguez wants to encourage people if they see something, please say something.
“That is our objective here is to get these animals out of these conditions and hopefully they will move on and be adopted or go on to other rescuers and live a good life,” he said.