Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Animal Control topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lockhart resident tells Caldwell County court pit bulls have killed livestock, urges seizure of animals
Summary
Michelle Gomez told Caldwell County Commissioners Court that neighbor-owned pit bulls repeatedly attacked and killed her livestock and that 13 citations have not led to seizure; she asked the court to seize and euthanize the dogs to restore safety to her property.
Michelle Gomez told the Caldwell County Commissioners Court on Aug. 27 that she and her family are living in fear after repeated attacks by neighboring pit bulls that she said have killed poultry, a foal she named Stormy, and injured a donkey and pigs. "I live in fear every day for my life," Gomez said, describing livestock losses and property damage and saying the dogs ‘‘terrorized’’ neighbors.
Gomez said the county previously issued 13 citations to the neighbor she named in the transcript as Elena Luzberg and Galvan Rivera but that there has been "no seizure, no warrant, no nothing." She asked the court to seize and euthanize the dogs so she can resume normal life and care for animals without constant fear. "I am making my public plea to you to please save those dogs so I can rest," Gomez said.
Court minutes reflect that Gomez’s remarks came during the public-comment period and that she used her four minutes to recount specific incidents, name injured animals, and request county enforcement. No formal response by court members to her request is recorded in the transcript; the item remained in the public-comment portion of the agenda and no motion or vote followed her remarks.
The transcript identifies the facts Gomez attributed to the neighbor (13 citations issued; animals killed or injured; petitioner fears for personal safety) but does not record any county staff statement in court that citations have resulted in seizure, arrest, or other enforcement action. The court did not take a formal enforcement action on the record during the meeting; the matter was raised as a public plea and may require follow-up by county animal-control or law-enforcement staff.
The court’s record shows other agenda items followed, including tabling certain budget matters and regular agenda business. The next procedural step for enforcement would be an investigation or a law-enforcement/animal-control action outside the court’s formal motions recorded in the transcript.
