CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Protesters showed up inside Corpus Christi City Council chambers to draw attention to the plight of animals still being euthanized by the city’s Animal Care Services department.
"The city has ignored this problem forever,” said Faith and Hope Dog Rescue’s Melissa Nucete. “We've been asking for spay-and-neuter, and finally it's been passed. They're going to require the citizens to spay and neuter their animals."
Other members of the organization showed up in chambers at Tuesday’s regularly scheduled council meeting with protest signs stating their concerns about how the city handles stray dogs.
3NEWS took the group’s concerns to city council members, who told us about big changes being proposed for the department.
"Nothing is approved,” said ACS Program Manager Joel Skidmore. “This point, it's a proposed (capital improvement project) bond for (fiscal year) ‘24 for a comprehensive, almost-renovation of the campus."
Animal Care Services currently has around 100 kennels, and the proposed $1.2 million bond project would double give them more than 200.
"There are some items in this budget, obviously: to add more officers, and, in addition, to expand the facility to almost double its size," said Dist. 3 councilman Roland Barrera.
City councilman at-large Mike Pusley said improving Animal Care Services is something council is taking very seriously.
"The mayor is very serious about it,” he said. “It's something that's a personal issue with her so, we understand their concerns."
City manager Peter Zanoni tells said that if council approves the expansion plans, it will be added to the 2024 bond.