SAN ANTONIO – A new grassroots effort is underway on the West Side to tackle ongoing animal concerns and overpopulation.
On Friday, District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo partnered with San Antonio Animal Care Services to host the Pet Care Connect program, going door to door to connect residents with pet resources.
“It’s our boots-on-the-ground, grassroots effort,” said ACS Director Jonathan Gary. “We’re going into neighborhoods within our community that need us the most.”
The city said it is aware of the high number of free-roaming dogs and increased call volume in certain areas. Through the program, residents were able to sign their pets up for free spay and neuter services in an effort to reduce overpopulation.
“It’s really a high call volume. We know we have a large amount of free-roaming dogs,” Gary said.
According to ACS, residents received supplies and services including:
- Leashes
- Collars
- Dog houses
- Pet food
- Scheduling microchipping
ACS officials said they plan to continue delivering pet food to residents who may have missed Friday’s distribution and hope to expand the program into other neighborhoods.
City leaders said the goal is to empower residents with education and resources, helping create safer communities for both people and pets.
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