Laredo staff outline shelter capacity limits, training plan and enforcement support

An Animal Care Services representative told the committee the shelter is operating under capacity pressures but the city does not follow a model of refusing intake when full. "We do not not pick up animals because [of] the shelter," the representative said, adding that euthanasia decisions are now driven primarily by medical and behavioral considerations rather than space alone.

Staff described improvements to the shelter—s TNR program, including dedicated TNR clinic days, outside veterinarians' support when available, and a reduced TNR wait list. The representative cautioned against holding community cats long-term at the shelter because of disease and stress: "The longer we hold them, the higher probability they are to get sick. If they get sick, we cannot release them."

On staffing, the representative said the department currently has approximately 12 field animal-control officers (excluding supervisory positions) and reported one ACO 2 opening and an additional supervisor position under consideration. Staff said more than half of the staff are enrolled in National Animal Care Association (NACA) training, with several officers having completed NACA I and plans for additional NACA II and cruelty-investigator certification when funding allows.

Staff also reported that the police department recently absorbed court-enforcement duties and will deploy those officers (after training) as an enforcement extension in the field, effectively adding enforcement capacity. To improve public reporting and accountability, staff encouraged residents to use Laredo 311 to submit photo-backed complaints.

No formal staffing increases or new budget authority were approved at the meeting; committee members asked staff to continue recruiting and training efforts and to return with position proposals as HR processes progress.