San Angelo's City Council has been encouraged to pass an "emergency citywide ban on breeding and selling animals in order to assist ones who are now in crisis and to require the city shelter to protect animals and the public by accepting every animal taken to it."
The recommendation came via letter to Mayor Brenda Gunter and members of City Council from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
City Council has options in responding to PETA's letter. It could seek the advice of the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee (ASAC).
The Animal Shelter Advisory Committee makes recommendations regarding Animal Services policy to the City Council.
The ASAC will not meet again until January 2023, although the Chairperson Caitlin Wylie could call a meeting at any time.
Shelter Chief Morgan Chegwidden is the Staff Liaison to the committee as well an ASAC committee member (Single Member District #6). Chegwidden led the shelter since July 2017 and supervised the reduction of animal related services to taxpaying citizens.
Under her leadership the shelter experienced a dog poisoning/cleanliness crisis (November 2021) and the recent roach infestation/horrific hoarding conditions (August 2022).
A responsible City Council would take action in response to the PETA letter. It remains to be seen what that is.
Update 11-8-22: ConchoValleyHomepage ran a piece on PETA's letter. It stated:
The City of San Angelo told Concho Valley Homepage staff that they are still reviewing all the information that was in the letter sent by PETA.
Update 12-13-22: A dog attacked a neighbor on Oxford Avenue and the dog was shot with a gun during the attack. Someone in local rescue posted:.
Please let’s do something to open the city shelter back up at least for aggressive dogs. Citizens of this city should not have to deal with this
....this is what happens when animal control doesn’t take action for stray dogs.
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