SAN ANTONIO — We could soon have new answers about how many dogs are roaming in the City of San Antonio.
Last year, Animal Care Services launched an unrestrained dog study to try and figure out how many dogs are roaming, if they’re owned or strays, and where the hotspots are.
The final numbers are still being processed, but the data could potentially influence future policy decisions.
The city embarked on this project last summer. Officials confirmed Wednesday that they had to do an unexpected recount, but the collected data is currently being analyzed by partners at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA).
ACS Director Jon Gary, speaking at the opening of a new spay and neuter clinic, emphasized the importance of addressing the issue.
“One of our biggest challenges that we face with our free-roaming dog problem that we have here in San Antonio is the fact that there are so many,” Gary said.
He says the new clinic will help with that because sterilized dogs mean fewer litters born out on the streets.
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The study’s goal is to identify trends and hotspots, which will help the agency determine if current policies are effective or if new ones are needed.
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“As we do these dog studies, we’re gonna be evaluating those neighborhoods that we’re being proactive in to see, are we seeing a reduction in the number, and so far we have,” Gary said.
This is not the first time the city has conducted such a study.
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In 2019, officials discovered more than 34,000 unrestrained dogs in San Antonio, most of which had owners.
The Animal Care Services (ACS) strategic plan calls for a study like this every other year, with the latest results expected in September.
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