LONGVIEW, Texas — Longview community members gathered together Tuesday to discuss a proposed spay and neuter ordinance for pets.
Betty Jones says in the last couple of years, the stray dog population become a big problem.
"I wake up in the middle of the night, dogs, bulldogs, all this stuff, and with grandkids, an old lady, 71 years old, we don't need this," Jones said.
Jones is in favor of this ordnance and believes it would make the community safer.
"Any and everybody deserves the right to ride your bike, to walk, no matter what time of night, no matter who you are -- you deserve that," Jones said.
The proposal comes after Kenneth Pierson was killed by a pack of dogs while riding his bike.
"The ordinance would create an 'intact pet permit' for which Longview residents could apply, an exemption allowing an animal not to be spayed or neutered," the Longview News-Journal reports. "Applicants would have to provide animal control officials with basic information about the animal and photos showing where the animal will live. The permit would cost $50, and funding from pet permit fees would be used to pay for spay/neuter vouchers offered by the city of Longview’s Spay it Forward program, which gives vouchers to qualifying Gregg County residents to cover or reduce the cost of operations."
Kelly Heitkamp, an animal welfare attorney, presented to the group how other Texas cities. like Waco and San Angelo. enforce this ordinance, and have seen a 50% decrease in the number of strays.
If this ordinance were to pass in Longview, Heitkamp expects the same results.
"We would implement and make spay neuter available to everybody from zero to minimal cost -- microchipping to no cost," said Heitkamp. "We’re going to see a reduction to strays on the streets, we’re going to see fewer dog bites, fewer animal abuse cases, all of these things that promote a good community that we all collectively this is a win win, this ordinance is a win win."