A growing public health concern has brought the community together to address the pressing need for animal control in Whitney. The decision to establish an animal control program in Whitney was not made lightly; it was driven by a significant rise in dog bites that required medical attention. Without a mandatory registration system, the city struggled to ensure that animals were vaccinated against rabies before incidents occurred.
The call for action became louder as residents voiced their concerns at city council meetings. The lack of animal control led to a rise in the stray population, contributing to both safety and public health issues. The absence of a registration system also made it difficult to track lost animals and reunite them with their owners. However, positive changes began to surface after the introduction of the registration program.
Kay Reid, who manages the Hill County Lost and Found Pets Facebook group, reported a marked decrease in lost pets in the Whitney area, illustrating the program’s early success. But as the city took its first steps toward establishing animal control, new challenges emerged.
The city had plans to manage the stray population and address cases of animal abuse, including identifying areas that could be used to house animals. To buy time to prepare these facilities, Whitney made an agreement with the Itasca Shelter for temporary support.
Tragically, just days before the ordinance was passed, the Itasca Shelter was destroyed by fire. This unforeseen disaster left both Itasca and Whitney without the necessary facilities to manage animal control, forcing both towns to only issue citations without the ability to collect animals.
Now, Whitney faces a critical situation. Without a proper containment facility, the city is unable to pick up animals at large, leaving the community vulnerable to the very issues the program was designed to address. But in this challenge, Whitney also sees an opportunity—a chance for the community to come together and create a solution.
The city is reaching out to residents and businesses, asking for help in addressing this issue. The goals are twofold: to find foster and adoptive parents for the animals currently at large and to build a local impound or holding facility. While there are existing structures that could be converted into a suitable animal control facility, additional materials and funding are necessary to complete this transformation.
Whitney’s city leaders are appealing to the community for support. They need help in fostering and adopting animals, as well as donations of materials and financial contributions to build a sustainable solution for animal control in the area. With the community’s involvement, Whitney can address this public health issue, ensuring a safer and healthier environment for both residents and animals.
In a time of need, Whitney has an opportunity to turn this challenge into a testament of community spirit. Together, the town can build a future where animal control is not just a program but a cornerstone of public safety and care.
Financial donations may be made through http://spot.fund/b26h4qsc. Because they are made to the City of Whitney, these donations are tax-deductible. Donors will receive a thank you letter suitable for submission to the IRS.
Those who are able to donate material or have a building that could help create a containment area or shelter are asked to contact Drew.Youngblood@cityofwhitneytx.org.
The city is very close to being able to build phase one of a holding facility in Whitney. Currently, the city doesn’t have a detention center, so it cannot pick up strays or impound animals. Whitney needs $1,000 in addition to the other generous donations it had received as of last week.
Administrative Assistant Kae Keith stated: “We will only be able to use this funding to construct a very basic holding area, so we still won’t have a shelter. However, it will allow us to start patrolling again and remove dangerous dogs. We need more funding to create a proper shelter. An empty building would be fantastic!”
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