Resident tells commissioners of roaming-dog problem; officials point to sheriff's role and expired grant

A resident told the Trinity County Commissioners Court that a "major dog issue" in the Soul Shores and Coach Village neighborhoods is creating safety concerns for elderly residents who walk their pets.

"We are having a major dog issue in the Soul Shores," the resident said, asking the court to clarify who funds animal control and noting she had been told the county does not pay for animal control.

Commissioners and staff responded that the sheriff's office is the agency that handles animal control and that a prior grant supporting animal-control activities had ended. "I was under the impression that the grant had run its course," an agency official said, adding that current 2026 budget materials show no separate line for an animal-control office.

Commissioners discussed practical responses: obtaining large traps, enforcing citations against repeat offenders and whether patrol coverage had previously been funded. One commissioner offered to try to obtain traps after court. Another said a patrol officer had been assigned in the past but that the grant that funded some activity is no longer in place.

The court did not record a formal vote on new animal-control funding during the portion of the transcript provided. Commissioners asked staff to follow up on the grant history and enforcement options and to return with any budget implications.

What's next: Staff said they will review past grant documentation and clarify whether animal-control duties remain within the sheriff's budget or require a separate appropriation.