The San Antonio City Council unanimously voted to approve a new slate of policies that members said will address the problem of loose and dangerous dogs in San Antonio.
The approval followed a series of dog attacks in the last two years that have maimed and killed San Antonio residents, including 81-year-old Ramon Najera in 2023.
District 7 Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito spearheaded the policy. She said the higher fines were necessary given the extent of the problem in San Antonio.
“This change is long overdue,” she said during a press conference after the vote. “We need to change the culture of dog ownership in San Antonio, so we're going to be increasing fines for negligent dog owners. If you don't want to face those fines, then don't let your dogs get out.”
The council approved higher fines for dog owners when their dogs repeatedly get loose or bite others. They highest penalty is $750 for loose dogs and $2,000 for dog bites on the third and subsequent offenses.
It also gave Animal Care Services (ACS) new authority to be able to spay or neuter loose dogs ACS officers pick up and bring back to campus before returning them to their owners.
Finally, it codified a recent change in policy that allows residents to use a fake name to report neighbors with loose or dangerous dogs to protect them from retaliation. State Sen. José Menéndez said he’ll introduce legislation this session to allow those pseudonyms to be used even if cases go to court.
Menéndez said San Antonio’s action on Thursday was a strong move in the right direction.
“I felt it was important enough [to be here] — not to be before the cameras, but to congratulate the councilwoman and the city council for taking an effort and leading the charge,” he said. “And the State of Texas needs to take notice, because this is what leadership looks like.”
Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill Menéndez and State Rep. Liz Campos passed in the last legislative session that would have increased criminal penalties and allowed pseudonyms in the court process.
ACS Interim Director Mike Shannon thanked the council for approving the new ordinance. “We need better tools, stronger tools, like what we just passed today,” Shannon said. “Those will be deterrents to really focus on those irresponsible pet owners that are not doing what they're supposed to do to keep their neighborhood safe.”
San Antonio Police Department Chief William McManus also spoke favorably of the new ordinance. “We have police officers as well as the public that are put in danger every single time they come across a stray dog on a call or anytime anyone is walking down the street,” McManus said. “The proposed change in Chapter 5 [of the city code] is a necessary step to enhance safety for everyone here in San Antonio.”
But some animal advocates have said the San Antonio Municipal Court’s history of failure to collect ACS fines makes the piece of the ordinance that increases those fines meaningless.
“In 2021, I did an open records request for the prior five-year period,” dog advocate and rescuer Vicki Steerman said. “And when I added up the columns for the fees and fines and then compared that to the amount collected, the fees and fines were about $2.9 million, and what was collected was $280,000. That's less than 10% — I don't call that being very effective.”
Steerman has repeatedly spoken at ACS advisory board meetings and sat on an interview committee for Jonathan Gary, ACS’ incoming permanent director. He will join the agency on Dec. 30 after directing Oklahoma City’s Animal Welfare Division for the last eight years.
Steerman said she supports increasing the fines, but that the Municipal Court will need to make changes so that they’re actually collecting them. She said she’s also in support of the forced sterilization of pets ACS picks up and returns to its campus but is opposed to the use of pseudonyms in the reporting process.
And she added that there is still much more work to be done.
“It took years to create this problem where we are today, and it's going to take years to solve it,” Steerman said. “Anyone who expects that what the council has done and the last two years is going to solve this problem is sorely misinformed.”
A spokesperson for the Municipal Court shared a statement in response to criticisms over its collection of fines: “The San Antonio Municipal Court is committed to ensuring accountability while adhering to laws governing the assessment and enforcement of fines and fees,” the statement said. “Before sentencing, municipal judges consider an individual’s ability to pay and may offer alternatives such as time payment plans, community service, or other non-monetary options as a resolution.”
The statement continued, “If someone fails to comply with a court order, the Court will hold a show cause hearing to address the issue. Continued noncompliance may result in a warrant for their arrest. These processes, combined with coordinated efforts between the Court and Animal Care Services, aim to ensure that citations lead to meaningful outcomes, supporting community safety and deterring negligent pet ownership.”
Because the city council’s vote on Thursday was unanimous, the new policies will go into effect immediately.
