Shelter-PAWS-Best Friends Alliance Latest Move

The San Angelo Animal Shelter partners with Concho Valley PAWS but has "no official relationship" with Best Friends Animal Society (BFAS).  So why then would BFAS pay other local animal rescues to take dogs from the city's perennially overcrowded Animal Shelter?

Concho Valley Homepage reported:

San Angelo Animal Shelter is full and offering incentives through the Best Friends Animal Society Network of animal welfare organizations for rescue agencies who help rehome dogs. 

According to a press release from Concho Valley PAWS, this is an effort to avoid euthanasia.  

“Best Friends Animal Society is offering a $150 stipend per dog or $300 per litter of puppies to 501(c)3 organizations that transfer dogs from the San Angelo Animal Shelter for adoption,” said Concho Valley PAWS.   

The offer is valid until 40 animals are transferred out or until Feb. 28.

This offer comes as City Council seeks advice from an Animal Crisis Task Force, formed in the aftermath of the horrific mauling of a city Animal Control Officer.  The official name of the advisory group is Animal Services & Control Task Force.  Several area rescues have representatives on that task force.  Concho Valley PAWS and BFAS do not have representatives and both are highly skilled in managing the media and public opinion.

My guess is this "offer" is part of a sophisticated media strategy hatched by leaders of the three organizations, Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden, PAWS Executive Director Jenie Wilson and BFAS.  Stay tuned for their media rollout intended to coincide with the release of the Task Force recommendations.

It took over seven years for the City's lack of ordinance enforcement, inattention to spay/neuter shelter compliance and choking off pet intake for San Angelo streets to reach its current loose dog crisis.  The groups that gave us "let them roam unaltered" are the three in the press release.   Keep that in the forefront of your mind as City Council considers a new path forward. 

Update 2-8-25:  The City of San Angelo is not alone as other cities experienced similar outcomes under the tutelage of BFAS.

Update 4-11-25:  San Angelo Live reported on the conviction of James Michael Wilson, the former husband of PAWS Executive Director Jenie Wilson.  Their divorce decree was issued 1-14-25.  Michael performed numerous duties at PAWS over the years.

James Wilson, 57, was indicted in September and pleaded guilty in December 2024 to Production of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography. He was sentenced Tuesday to 600 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered Wilson to pay $106,500 in restitution. 

According to court documents, Wilson "employed" a 9-year-old victim to produce at least two videos of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Wilson admitted to using a social media application to transport multiple videos of child pornography over the Internet. He also admitted to possessing and transporting a video that depicted a 10-year-old female child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. 

Wilson admitted to law enforcement that he had viewed and downloaded child pornography for several years.

I've hesitated to report on this until the court reached a verdict.  The substantial fine is noteworthy.  I'm sure PAWS has done an internal examination of any potential illicit activity as Wilson admitted his behavior had been going on for years.  Wilson also worked as a contractor for the City of San Angelo for many years.