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Residents, volunteers press council for more spay-neuter and animal-control resources after shelter stats show high intake
Summary
Animal-control volunteers and a shelter representative told the council Jan. 16 that Clear Lake continues to see high numbers of loose dogs and puppies; local nonprofit PetFix Lake County plans five high-volume clinics this year to alter more than 1,000 animals, advocates said.
Residents and animal-welfare volunteers urged the Clear Lake City Council on Jan. 16 to pursue more funding and programs for spay-neuter services and stronger enforcement after volunteers presented counts of loose dogs and puppies in the city.
Janet Peterson reported shelter intake figures for the start of 2025: eight dogs had arrived and eight dogs had left the shelter since the new year; seven returned to owners and one was adopted. Peterson said the shelter was holding 72 dogs in total—56 adult dogs and 16 puppies—at the time of the report.
Denise Gilmore, who identified herself as administrator of a Facebook group called Clear Lake Community Canine Coalition, said she has been documenting loose-dog sightings and puppy reports for roughly a year and a half. Gilmore told the council she personally recorded 849 loose-dog sightings in 2024 within city limits, and that a separate running puppy count reached 675 puppies over the year derived from social media, rescues and individual reports.
Gilmore provided a city/county breakdown of her puppy count: 281 puppies within Clear Lake city limits, 67 in the county, and 227 unlisted; she estimated an average of about 35 puppies a month. Gilmore also said that PetFix Lake County will bring five high-volume spay/neuter clinics to the area in 2025 that are expected to alter more than 1,000 pets.
"This large number of puppies highlights the need for more spay and neuter here," Gilmore said, urging the council to consider funding and programmatic support.
Council members did not take formal action on the request at the meeting. Staff and volunteers said PetFix Lake County’s clinics may address much of the immediate need, and volunteers urged continued coordination among the city, local rescues and county services.
Ending: Volunteers and shelter staff asked the council to review options for funding spay-neuter programs and to consider enforcement and outreach to reduce the number of chronically loose dogs and unaltered animals in the city.
