A litter of puppies in their kennel at the Dallas Animal Services in Dallas, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
A dog looks out from a kennel at the Dallas Animal Services in Dallas, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
Reported animal cruelty cases in Dallas are rising every year, the city shelter is regularly over capacity and residents sometimes have to wait hours to turn in or surrender an animal. To address the problem, city leaders added about $1.5 million in new funding for Dallas Animal Services.
By late August, Dallas Animal Services had taken in nearly 3,600 suspected animal abuse victims in the previous 10 months — compared to 2,562 during the same period last year. That includes an increase of 600 roosters, hens and chicks and 165 more dogs, according to a recent city report.
“Dallas Animal Services has continued to be one of the areas that I’ve been most concerned about because we have seen a spike in animal cruelty,” City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert said. “We’re seeing it again this year.”
Article continues below this ad
Some of that increase comes from more money being put toward supporting animal cruelty resources in the department in recent years – including staff training to spot the signs of cruelty and an increasing number of animal cruelty officers – raising the number of cases identified in the community, said DAS director Paul Ramon, who retired Thursday.
Targeted operations this year aimed at cockfighting and dog cruelty, including a February case in which 200 dogs were seized in one of the largest dogfighting busts in Texas and a July raid that netted some 200 roosters.
Tolbert said she intends to push for stronger city ordinances after the budget is adopted “that might help us better support that operation going forward.”
Ramon said he was grateful for the continuing support by city budget writers.
“It’s amazing when you go to a budget meeting and council members are trying to make amendments to give you more,” he said. “Whether that came to fruition or not doesn’t matter. It just feels good to know that they understand the needs of the department.”
Article continues below this ad
Nursery staff Jacqueline Chavez feeds a one week old kitten at the Dallas Animal Services in Dallas, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
The new budget, approved Wednesday, increased Dallas Animal Services funding from $21.8 million to $23.3 million for the fiscal year ending in September 2027.
Last year, city officials added $500,000 to the budget to address suspected animal cruelty needs and added almost $800,000 this year to help address animal cruelty and capacity-related expenses — including the addition of a forensic veterinarian to support prosecutors in bringing animal abusers to justice.
Another nearly $800,000 in new money will go into animal shelter management, which has been challenged by overpopulation, partly due to the increase in animal cruelty cases. That budget jumps from $4.4 million this year to $5.2 million over the next year.
The additional funding for animal cruelty investigations is “a critical step toward closing a gap that has existed for far too long,” officials with Animal Investigation and Response said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News.
Article continues below this ad
“This investment isn’t just about funding—it’s about giving law enforcement and animal welfare the tools to turn animal cruelty cases into successful prosecutions and positive outcomes for animals,” according to the nonprofit that helps authorities handle large-scale animal cruelty cases.
People fill the lobby of the Dallas Animal Services in Dallas, Thursday, May 7, 2026.
Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News
But Danielle Chambless, who rescues cats as a volunteer with Awwdoptable, Inc. in Oak Cliff, said that while she appreciates the bump, the budget only scratches the surface of the need for a shelter that serves a city of 1.3 million people.
Awwdoptable “is just constantly flooded and inundated with animals, literally from our neighbors that need help, because the shelter is just not able to help,” Chambless said. “They’re already doubling up space at the shelter just for regular intake. There’s no room for these cruelty cases, and it’s just not a good situation.”
The agency will use the new money earmarked for animal cruelty for supplies and staffing for medical and field efforts to support police in suspected animal cruelty cases. Part of that budget is an additional $278,000 to add a forensics veterinarian to enhance evidence gathering for the prosecution of animal cruelty cases.
Article continues below this ad
The department has two permanent full-time veterinarians, a full-time vacant position and three part-time temporary veterinarians.
Part of that work, Tolbert wrote in the budget, would include developing a “risk-based animal cruelty triage model” to streamline investigative priorities and case evaluation to better support successful prosecution of those cases.
The budget also includes $2.2 million for animal surgeries for staff veterinarians and veterinarian assistants. Some $190k of that is earmarked for contracted spay/neuter services within this program.
Another $7 million will go to answering complaints and requests for service for anything from strays to reports of cruelty and dangerous animals.
Article continues below this ad
The budget would also combine adoption services, foster support, transfers and reunification efforts into a bucket of nearly $2.2 million.