JOURDANTON, TEXAS – More than a dozen dogs were found malnourished, neglected and infested with fleas on Friday morning. The rescue happened in the 1200 block of Terrell Avenue in Jourdanton.
“Currently we have brought in, I think, 12 or 14 pets,” Henry Dominguez said. Dominguez is the director of Atascosa Animal Control.
Dominguez said his team was notified by the Jourdanton Police Department about a hoarding situation.
Posted by Jourdanton Police Department on Friday, November 4, 2022
“The living conditions were deplorable. I mean, it’s just trash. (The dogs) were living in trash,” Dominguez said. “As we stood around, we were getting fleas on us, and the animals were in poor condition. Their health wasn’t doing that good.”
Dominguez said one female dog was tied up in a kennel with no access to food and water. Authorities had to cut the chain to rescue her.
According to a Facebook post by Jourdanton Police, a criminal investigation for alleged animal cruelty has been launched.
In an email to KSAT, Jourdanton Police Chief Eric Kaiser said, “The perpetrators of this act could face a separate counts of Animal Cruelty for each dog involved. Under the current statute, each charge could be a separate State Jail Felony with a punishment of up to 2 years in a State Jail Facility and up to a $10,000 fine.”
Kaiser will also work with the Jourdanton Public Works Department to remove all the trash from the property.
“Over time this residence has become unsafe and not fit for human habitation,” Kaiser said. “The police department has already taken steps to address the public health issue surrounding the property’s current condition, and the public can expect to see the city working to abate the issue over the next several days.”
Now, Atascosa Animal Control is focused on cleaning, feeding and socializing the animals to prepare them for adoption.
“After a three-day evaluation, we test them for temperament and health. If they’re adoptable, then they’re put up for adoption,” Dominguez said.
Adoptions for the rescued animals could begin as early as next week.
While most animals were rescued from the property, Dominguez said some dogs ran inside the home. Authorities plan to return to the property and use bait as food in order to rescue the remaining animals.
For a look at pets in Atascosa Animal Control currently ready for adoption, click here.