Who let the dogs out?
A pack of dozens of wild dogs have been roaming a northern Texas city, growing bolder and sparking fears that children may not be safe on the streets — with local officials claiming they can’t do much.
The city of Godley has been besieged by a group of strays, with residents warning city officials that the animals are no longer just prowling the streets at night, but are now out and about throughout the day.
“At this point, we now have dogs — feral dogs, obviously sick, obviously having issues trying to find food — that are out and about at the same time that my children and our children are on the streets,” local Bruce Moats told NBC 5.
“The dogs are going to look for food, and I don’t want my children to be that dog food,” he added.
Unsettling footage of the dogs roaming the streets shows the problem began months ago, with the strays now becoming accustomed to the neighborhood and prowling together in broad daylight.
Moats said that what was once an oddity in the city has now become a genuine safety concern, with the pack growing to as many as 40 dogs, which left his family frightened after a recent encounter.
“We’re getting the kids out of the car, we start hearing barking, and then we see dogs running from that corner, running to our house,” he told the local outlet.
“As that was happening, my wife rushed my daughter inside the house, my son locked himself up in my Tahoe, and I went to the house to retrieve my firearm,” he recalled
Moats said that while he hopes never to use his gun on the dogs, he’s prepared to have to make that decision if it becomes necessary.
Neighbors are unsure where the dogs come from, but many echoed the safety concerns, as well as worries over the pack as many of the canines appeared malnourished and sickly.
Johnson County Commissioner Rick Bailey said abandoned animals have become a growing problem in the area, but claimed that the county does not have the legal authority to round up the dogs.
Even if the county did catch the canines, he told the local outlet that all its shelters are full, so there isn’t anywhere to put them.
“It is a great concern,” he said. “But I don’t have a solution, nor an answer, other than we are in dialogue with other cities in the county to see if there’s something we can do to mitigate this problem.”
The Godley City Council is prepared to review a proposal later this week set to levy new punishments against people who abandon animals.
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