City of Breckenridge, Stephens County officials meet with Humane Society to find solutions for animal control problem

September 09

18:32 2024

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Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series by the Breckenridge Texan on the animal problems in Breckenridge and Stephens County, Texas. Additional articles are linked at the end of this story.

By Carla McKeown/Breckenridge Texan

As the Breckenridge and Stephens County community – including residents and governing officials – work to regain control of the local domestic animal situation that many have described as out-of-control, serious talks between the City Commission, the County Commissioners Court and the Humane Society are starting to take place.

Although everything is still in the fact-finding and early negotiations stages, those who are responsible for maintaining a safe community and/or those who are dedicated to the animals’ welfare recently sat down together in the District Courtroom to try and come up with some solutions.

Breckenridge Police Chief Blake Johnson, at the podium, addresses the Stephens County and City of Breckenridge commissioners, as well as Kathy O’Shields with the Humane Society on Sept. 5. Click here to see more photos from the workshop. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

For at least three to four years, maybe longer, tension has been high between the City of Breckenridge, which is responsible for animal control within the city limits, and the Stephens County Humane Society, which has a mission to “save every precious life we can.” In May 2020, members of the Humane Society addressed the City Commission in a special community meeting regarding the closing of the Stephens County Animal Shelter, as it was known then. In January 2022, the Humane Society filed a formal complaint with the City after several malnourished dogs were found at the Breckenridge animal facility, located at 601 N. Dubois. Earlier this year, the Humane Society filed another complaint after City employees left a cat, which had previously been living in Breckenridge, at the City-owned property at Lake Daniel.

But, on Sept. 5, Kathy O’Shields, president of the Stephens County Humane Society; Cynthia Northrop, Breckenridge city manager; most of the Breckenridge City Commission; and the Stephens County Commissioners Court, met in a workshop for more than two hours to discuss some of the options for resolving the problems the community is facing. The workshop was the second such meeting in less than three weeks between the City and County governing boards; although, it was the first that the Humane Society had been directly involved in.

Some of the problems that have been mentioned include too many dogs at the City’s animal shelter, too many dogs running loose in the City, dogs and cats being dumped inside and outside the city limits, no place at the shelter for cats, and more.

The animal control situation here has generated much discussion on social media, as well as attention from the news media, including the Breckenridge Texan (see a list of related stories at the end of this article); KTAB/KRBC-TV, which covered the Sept. 5 workshop; and KTXS-TV, which covered the cat at the lake story.

During the meeting last week, two main options were the focus of the conversation:

Continuing to operate everything as it has been with the City running the animal shelter and taking care of the enforcement of local animal-related ordinances; a possible interlocal agreement between the City and the County concerning the housing of any animals the County picks up; and the Humane Society continuing to work independently of the governing agencies, finding homes for animals at the request of local residents.
An arrangement that would see the Humane Society take over the day-to-day operations of the animal shelter; while the City continues to provide enforcement of the ordinances, maintain the upkeep and utilities on the shelter, provide financial assistance to the Humane Society and assist with County animal control, as well; and the County provides financial assistance to the Humane Society to help take care of any animals picked up from outside the city limits, as well as to generally help support the overall animal control situation.

Although specific numbers were just used as an example and no formal offers were proposed, one option that was mentioned during both the Aug. 20 workshop and the Sept. 5 workshop included both the City and the County providing $50,000 each year to the Humane Society. In turn, the Humane Society would take care of the animals in the shelter, including veterinary care as needed, and find homes for the animals.

The City and County officials seem amenable to hammering out an interlocal agreement that includes all three entities, but the Humane Society hasn’t agreed to any of it yet. “I want everybody to understand that we are here today … it’s a fact finding expedition for us,” O’Shields said at the Sept. 5 meeting. “It’s not a decision that we can make today. I have a board of directors that have to be consulted. There are a lot of things that have to be looked at, a lot of things that would have to be checked into. But I think right now, we are just in the preliminary stage of seeing if it would be possible or feasible for us to enter into this venture with the city and the county.”

Stephens County Judge Michael Roach, bottom right, talks to the County Commissioners and the Breckenridge City Commission, as well as Kathy O’Shields with the Humane Society, at a special meeting/workshop between the three entities. KTAB/KRBC-TV from Abilene was at the meeting and aired a story about the situation later than night. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)

In addition to working out details, such as how much money each agency contributes to the project, who pays for the utilities, who’s responsible for the leaky shelter roof, etc., O’Shields pointed out several other topics that are of concern to her and the Humane Society Board. One concern the organization has is who will be responsible for liability insurance, she said. The insurance would be necessary in case anyone is bitten by an animal in the shelter, for example.

Another area that the Humane Society would like to see more discussion on is the enforcement of the laws, including cooperation from the court system to hold those in violation accountable. O’Shields said one of the complaints the organization has with the way things are currently handled is that too often people who are ticketed for having dogs running loose in the city later say they are indigent and are not required to pay the fines. She suggested that violators at least be required to do community service work in order to hold them accountable for the violations.

One point of contention at the Sept. 5 meeting was between Humane Society and the Police Chief about the City euthanizing animals that the Humane Society has spent money on.

Breckenridge Police Chief Blake Johnson addressed O’Shields and the City and County officials, explaining that he and Stephens County Sheriff Kevin Roach have an informal agreement regarding the City assisting with animal control issues outside the city limits.

“We’ve discussed guidelines with the county, and when they come across animals…these are things that we can assist with. And so formalizing that agreement is just picking up where we left off,” Johnson said. “The one thing I’ll tell you is, you know, we always talk about … city, county dogs. And the one thing I’ll tell you is, 100 percent of the dogs are the county dogs, because they’re all in the county. So I’m glad we’re here, because … this is a problem we’re all facing. And so, you know, … I don’t really spend as much time worrying about…who’s the city’s, who’s the county’s dogs, because public safety doesn’t stop at the city line for us.”

Johnson went on to explain that the first responsibility the animal control officers have when they pick up a dog is to determine who the owner is and to determine why the dog is out.

“The other thing I’d let you know is the animals that are in the animal shelter right now are the responsibility of Breckenridge. … It’s our responsibility,” he said. “And because of that, like I said, we have a responsibility to maintain the population. And so, you know, like I said … when the sheriff calls me and asks me to pick up a dog and we pick up a dog, that just part of the population. We have to make determinations. So I don’t have this, ‘This is a county dog,’ ‘This is a city dog.’ Because ultimately, you know, the determination of what we’re going to put down is, what is our danger? …what is the ability to be able to … try to find owners, to try to find people…”

O’Shields expressed concern about what the police chief said. “I have a question. OK, you’re saying that…when you take in some county dogs, that you’re taking control of them? Because we’ve been taking control of them and paying for them, vetting them and everything, and then my understanding is you’re wanting to euthanize them, and that’s a huge issue to us, since I’ve taken responsibility and spent several hundred dollars,” she said.

“I don’t see the dogs posted for adoption,” O’Shields continued. “I’m having trouble getting pictures to try to help, and yet you’re wanting to euthanize our dogs that we are busting our fannies to try to place. … I’m paying someone to come up there and help you. I’ve paid for all the food for these dogs. I’ve paid her to take them to the vet, to get them vetted, and then my understanding is you’re wanting to euthanize them, and … that is a huge issue with us.”

The police chief said one of the problems the City is currently facing is an influx of puppies at the shelter. On Saturday, Sept. 7, the Breckenridge Animal Shelter had 33 puppies, according to the police chief. The puppies are requiring extra food, as well as manpower to keep the kennels clean, he said.

Several of the officials speaking about maintaining control of the population at the animal shelter referenced the “five day” rule. According to the City of Breckenridge’s Code of Ordinances, Section 4-31 (f), “Any animal not reclaimed by its owner within five (5) days of impoundment shall become the property of the city and shall be or euthanized in a humane manner or transferred to an animal welfare organization for adoption in a suitable home. The day of impoundment shall be considered the first day of this five-day period.”

O’Shields reiterated that the Humane Society has offered to help find homes for the puppies and other dogs in the shelter. However, she says that in order to do that, they need photos and information about the animals and that the City has failed to provide that.

Additionally, O’Shields said that the Stephens County Humane Society is a no-kill organization and will not euthanize animals, including animals that are unadoptable for some reason. Therefore, if the organization takes over the operation of the shelter, they will require that the agency involved – the City or the County – handle euthanizations on their own by taking the animals to a veterinarian or by some other means.

City Commissioner Vince Moore said that one of the big decisions that needs to be made is, if the Humane Society takes over the day-to-day operations at the shelter, how the situation of having too many dogs at the shelter will be handled.

“If y’all take over the shelter and they bring in a dog and it goes X number of days, and we’re out of room and all this stuff, and then you say…they’ll be released back to the city or the county or the entity that brought them in to be euthanized. How is that any different than what’s going on right now?” Moore asked. “Because you would, in that situation, be putting forward money, putting forward effort, putting forward time and care. But then you know that the end point is, at a certain point is that (euthanization is) a possibility.”

O’Shields said that the Humane Society works with animal rescue organizations around the country to help find homes for dogs and cats in Stephens County. For example, the local group worked with the Texas Husky Rescue last month to find a home for Zeus, a husky-mix who was at the shelter for more than four months. Also in August, the Humane Society contacted Elphie’s Animal Alliance in Seattle. The Washington-based organization found foster homes for Annie and her four puppies and transported them to that state for new homes.

In recent weeks, the City of Breckenridge has stepped up its efforts to resolve some of the animal-related problems in the community, such as seeking a more affordable spay/neuter option for local pet owners, discussing a trap-neuter-return program for stray cats, planning to take dogs from the shelter to local events for adoption opportunities, etc.

By the end of last week’s workshop, O’Shields had agreed to meet with the Humane Society’s board to determine if they are interested in any of the ideas discussed. City Manager Cynthia Northrop said that she’s sure the City can work to alleviate some of the Humane Society’s concerns and emphasized that the situation is in a transition period.

“I think we’re at the best place to solve (the animal control problem) right now,” Stephens County Judge Michael Roach said. “This is the best opportunity. We’re all at the table, ready and willing to work together and be done with it.”

Click here to see the Breckenridge Texan’s Photo Gallery from the Sept. 5 workshop.

Cutline, top photo: Stephens County Humane Society President Kathy O’Shields, third from right, addresses the County Commissioners and the Breckenridge City Commission at a special meeting/workshop on Sept. 5 regarding the animal control situation in the community. Click here to see more photos from the meeting. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)