Government
BY JAMES T. NORMAN
Manvel to adjust protocol following death of dog at shelter
After a dog died in the care of the Manvel Ani- mal Shelter earlier this year, officials are discussing plans to revamp the shelter’s protocols to ensure they don’t have a repeat incident. The full story In mid-May, city officials picked up a pair of bulldogs in the Rodeo Palms area, Police Chief Keith Traylor said. In the middle of the night, officials found one of the dogs deceased. As it stands, Traylor said an investigation is going on to determine what went wrong and what the shelter can do to prevent future deaths. “When you have an incident like this, it triggers reviews,” he said. “How can we do things better? Did we do anything wrong?” Manvel has kept an animal shelter since 2023, Traylor said. This is the facility’s first dog death. Manvel’s animal shelter, which is located in the police department, is meant to hold an animal for up to 72 hours, Traylor said. The animal is then
transferred out to one of the city’s partners, such as the Alvin Adoption Center. Diving in deeper Among the various protocols for the shelter, Traylor said officials are looking at how to docu- ment things better, such as keeping closer track of when kennels are cleaned or last checked on. Typically, officers are required to walk and check on the animals’ welfare before they go on duty. In this incident, officers waited until the rush of the day subsided to check on the bulldog, Traylor said. Going further, the shelter is looking to be more cognizant of certain breeds of dogs and the heat. Stay tuned Traylor said he will debrief the public on the investigation once it is completed. “If we did do something wrong, we’re going to take accountability,” he said.
Since launching in 2023, the shelter has received roughly 2,000 animal complaints and returned more than 60 animals to their owners. 2023*
• 685 animal complaints • 37 animals taken in
• 11 animals sent to partners • 0 animals returned to owner
2024
• 1,175 animal complaints • 188 animals taken in
• 25 animals returned to owners • 163 animals sent to partners
2025*
• 670 animal complaints • 109 animals taken in
• 25 animals returned to owner • 84 animals sent to partners
*THE DATA DOES NOT REPRESENT THE FULL CALENDAR YEAR.
SOURCE: CITY OF MANVEL/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
8
COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
Powered by FlippingBook