CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Since the city of Corpus Christi enacted their spay and neuter ordinance one year ago, a total of 35 permits have been issued. While that may sound low, Corpus Christi Animal Care Services said it's a positive step forward.
"We have had an influx of individuals, who are purchasing their intact permit as well as overall with the city spaying and neutering their animals," said Corpus Christi Animal Care Services Miguel Escobar.
The ordinance requires pet owners to register their intact or unneutered pets for a yearly fee of $50. Organizations like the Gulf Coast Humane Society work to help pet owners afford spaying and neutering. Director of Marketing & Developing at Gulf Coast Humane Society Jackie McCollough said a big part of the ordinance is giving Animal Care Services a way to decrease the stray population.
"More so, it allows for Corpus Christi Animal Care Services to be able to, you know, implement with an animal that continues to have litters," McCollough said. "They're able to then say you are required to have your pets spayed and neutered and that's what this really helps."
McCollough said although they are seeing an increase of pet owners either fixing or registering for a permit, there is still many people who don't know about the pet ordinance.
"You know a lot of people just don't know about it. So, we try to offer materials at our vaccination clinics and our events to get the word out about the spay and neuter ordinance," McCollough said.
Escobar said there are consequences to not following the city code.
"If the animal is not sterilized, we give them a sterilization order. With that they have 30 days to show compliance that the animal has been sterilized or you know veterinary recommendations to not sterilize at this time and if they don't show those parameters to our department that's when we're going to issue citations," Escobar said.
For more information on where you can fill out a permit form, visit the Animal Care Services, click here.