A new month-long effort in District 7 is connecting pet owners with free resources to help keep pets at home and neighborhoods safer.
SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio is launching a new neighborhood outreach effort aimed at reducing the number of loose dogs and preventing dangerous animal attacks.
The Pet Care Connect program, led by San Antonio Animal Care Services and District 7 Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito, kicks off Thursday in the Culebra Park neighborhood with free pet resources and education for residents.
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The month-long grassroots campaign will bring pet food, supplies and information directly to families, while also connecting pet owners with free and low-cost services, including vaccinations, microchipping, spay and neuter programs.
The initiative comes as the city continues working to reduce dog attacks. In late 2024, Alderete Gavito championed an ordinance that increased penalties for owners whose dogs repeatedly get loose, especially if the animals attack people. The ordinance also allows Animal Care Services to spay or neuter loose dogs before they are returned to their owners.
Alderete Gavito said the city is already seeing encouraging results.
“We have gotten a lot of data, both quantitative and qualitative, about it working here in San Antonio,” she said. “We’re talking to mail carriers who tell us they’re not getting attacked, and we’re also seeing the numbers go down with Animal Care Services.”
The campaign begins 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at Gilbert Garza Park, 1450 Mira Vista, where residents can pick up free pet food and supplies. Officials say the Culebra Park neighborhood was chosen because it has a high number of loose dogs.