ODEM, Tx — Odem city leaders are working to address concerns about a group of roaming dogs that residents say have attacked and killed pets and livestock.
Mayor David Maldonado said he has received photos of the dogs from residents but has not seen them himself.
"There is a group of dogs that's been running around. I haven't seen them myself, but I've seen photos that people have sent," Maldonado said.
Residents previously told KRIS 6 News the dogs have attacked pets and livestock. Hillary Gonzales said she has seen the animals near her home.
"You can see there's that big black one and there's a tan one there. They have to be somewhere in this vicinity," Gonzales said.
Maldonado said capturing the dogs has been difficult. He believes a female dog in the group is attracting several male dogs that follow her throughout town.
"We're hoping that we can at least trap her, and once we get her off, maybe the males will disperse," Maldonado said.
The city's efforts have been limited by the lack of an animal shelter or animal control department. Odem is the only city in San Patricio County without either service.
"Right now we do have cages and we can trap them. Unfortunately, we don't have anywhere to take them," Maldonado said.
City leaders are working with San Patricio County and neighboring communities while exploring long-term solutions. One option under consideration is a city-operated shelter with six to eight kennels.
"The ultimate solution would be to have our own shelter where we can temporarily house stray animals," Maldonado said.
Maldonado also pointed to animal dumping outside city limits as a contributing factor.
"We've had people post pictures on social media showing litters of puppies abandoned between Odem and Edroy or Odem and Taft, and a few days later those puppies are already in town," he said.
In the meantime, city leaders are encouraging residents to keep pets secured and avoid feeding stray animals. Odem is also working to certify employees who can assist with handling stray animals and enforcing local ordinances.
Maldonado said city leaders hope to discuss the shelter proposal during upcoming budget talks and would like to have a plan in place by the end of the year.
