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Mission council votes to terminate Rio Grande Valley Humane Society contract after residents allege animal mistreatment
Summary
After multiple public commenters alleged poor conditions, abuse and mismanagement at the Rio Grande Valley Humane Society shelter, Mission City Council voted unanimously to give 60 days' notice to terminate the city's contract and to direct staff to ensure a smooth transition.
Mission City Council voted unanimously Jan. 27 to terminate the city's contract with the Rio Grande Valley Humane Society (RGVHS), giving the organization 60 days' notice after several residents and animal-welfare advocates described alleged inhumane shelter conditions and management problems.
Residents and a local rescue group presented photographs, medical letters and testimony alleging unsanitary conditions, weight loss, open wounds and other mistreatment of animals kept at the RGVHS facility. Dandy Abayee, executive director of the nonprofit Paws for Help, told the council her organization has documented months of what she described as “inhumane treatment,” fraudulent reporting and shelter hygiene problems and urged the city to end the partnership.
Why it matters: The city provides funding and relies on contracted partners for animal-control and shelter services. Council members said those responsibilities require an organization that meets licensing and care standards; after the public comments and a related executive-session review, the council directed staff to end the contract and to plan for a smooth transition of services.
What residents told the council
- Resident Mandy Dye said she visited the Mission shelter and found animals “sitting in filth in feces,” and that staff were not properly trained. She said she bought elevated beds and brought them to the facility after seeing the conditions.
- Dandy Abayee, executive director of Paws for Help, said her group has hundreds of photos and videos and alleged animals were sent sedated to a partner facility for euthanasia without proper assessment. “They are a failure,” Abayee said. “They have lost all of their employees and recently made a desperate attempt to bring in a national organization to help them.”
Council action and transition planning
Following public comment and an executive-session review, a councilmember moved to give the Rio Grande Valley Humane Society 60 days' notice to terminate the contract and directed city staff to work with the organization for a smooth transition of services. The motion carried unanimously.
Council members said the city will coordinate alternative arrangements for animal care during the transition and that staff will manage operational details, including continuity of intake, medical care and sheltering. The council did not place responsibility for staffing or interim shelter operations on any single external provider in the motion; instead, it directed city staff to organize the transition.
Ending
Councilmembers said the decision was motivated by public testimony, ongoing concerns about shelter operations and the need to ensure humane, licensed care for animals the city is responsible for. The council did not vote to immediately assume shelter operations; staff were directed to manage the 60-day transition and report back to council as needed.
