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Volunteers urge Robinson council to restore Lost Pets partnership after new animal-control social-media limits
Summary
Members of Lost Pets of Robinson, Bee's Village Animal Rescue and other volunteers told the council the city’s new restrictions on animal-control social-media interaction have harmed local rescue efforts and left dogs taken to the shelter without publicly known dispositions; the mayor later issued a proclamation recognizing the city’s animal-control officer.
Three volunteer rescuers urged the Robinson City Council to restore a working partnership between the city’s animal-control officer and the community volunteer network, saying recent limits on the officer’s ability to interact on social-media pages have hindered reunifications and left shelter dispositions unknown.
CG Weslick, a moderator of Lost Pets of Robinson, said the volunteer network has more than 5,000 members and has reunited an estimated 3,000 animals over a decade. “Our group is over 10 years old with 5,000 members... Our group has been the catalyst for reuniting lost pets with their owners,” Weslick said, and described a sudden change after a new animal-control officer (referred to in the meeting as Kaden) was hired and social-media access was locked down. Weslick said the group was being told the officer could not comment directly on the group’s page and that, as a result, volunteers had no disposition information for numerous dogs delivered to the shelter.
Bobby, identifying himself as an admin of the same Facebook group, said the lack of direct communication makes the ACO’s job harder because the officer does not yet have the rescue-network contacts volunteers previously used. “If she can’t communicate with us, then it’s making her job harder,” Bobby said.
Becca Kiner, who identified herself as owner/operator of Bee’s Village Animal Rescue and the operator of a community pet pantry, described a long-standing, successful partnership with city animal control and said the change was already producing negative short- and long-term impacts. “Since the city has changed the policy and cut off the working relationship between Lost Pets of Robinson and animal control, we were already seeing a huge impact,” Kiner said, and urged the council to restore the partnership so the new officer can succeed.
Mayor Greg May read a proclamation recognizing National Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week (April 12–18, 2026) and specifically commended the city’s animal-control officer by name in the proclamation. The proclamation text named the officer as “Kaden Phelp.” Council members did not take a policy vote in response to the public comments during the meeting; volunteers asked the council to consider restoring access so rescuers, fosters and the ACO can coordinate directly.
The volunteer speakers described specific operational problems: volunteers said they cannot see whether animals taken to the shelter are being rescued, returned or otherwise disposed of, and they asked for clearer lines of communication and continued partnership with the city’s animal-services staff. Council members acknowledged the comments and noted the proclamation but did not announce immediate policy changes during the meeting.
The council said staff will continue routine business, and volunteers said they would follow up with staff and council members after the meeting to seek resolution.
