Residents at the Selma City Council meeting on Jan. 6 pressed the city about an abandoned puppy and the shelter's after‑hours pick‑up practices, prompting staff to report the issue has been addressed and to set a timeline for returning a formal policy to council.

Ray Ramirez told the council he had seen social media posts that a puppy taken to the shelter was not accepted and that he was told by dispatch that officers would only pick up dogs if they were "vicious or aggressive." He asked why animals appear to be rejected and urged the city to provide an on‑call option.

"I was told that they needed to be vicious or aggressive," Ramirez said, describing the dispatcher guidance and requesting clarity on shelter operations.

City Attorney (speaker 4) and City Manager Rogers explained a proposal to require a standby or call‑in person at the shelter for after‑hours pick‑ups is under development but affects wages and working conditions. The city attorney said the draft policy was sent to the appropriate employee organization and that the council will see the item again on Jan. 20 to allow bargaining units to discuss implementation.

Community Services Director Fletcher said staff had addressed the abandoned puppy incident, that a new animal services manager is being onboarded, and that recent shelter activity included several adoptions and reunions.

The council did not adopt a new policy at the meeting but instructed staff to continue working on procedures and to return with an item for formal consideration.