Editor’s note: Transcript provided by CoverGov.
The much-publicized problem of animal control in Godley as well as related county services were addressed Oct. 2 in a special session of the Johnson County Commissioners Court.
Commissioners unanimously approved a 30-day $6,000 agreement with the City of Fort Worth for limited animal control services related to reports of a pack of dogs ambling through a neighborhood and approaching restaurants.
A member of the so-called “Godley Pack” of stray dogs in Johnson County, Texas, after its rescue by Texas All Creatures Rescue. (Courtesy photo | Texas All Creatures Rescue)
Dory Cox, a volunteer dog trapper with Texas All Creatures Rescue, told commissioners that reports of up to 40 aggressive dogs were inaccurate.
“So when we initially saw the videos on all the news stations of the pack of dogs, there was so much negativity that surrounded them, we felt like we weren’t seeing that on the videos,” Cox said.
Texas All Creatures fed the dogs to socialize them as they began trapping, Cox told commissioners.
“We have seen zero signs of any aggression from any of these dogs,” Cox told commissioners. “I have never personally seen 30 or 40 dogs. Every time we go, we count. We count 13.”
Members of the so-called “Godley Pack” of stray rest beneath a structure in Johnson County, Texas, as rescuers work to trap them. (Courtesy photo | Texas all Creatures Rescue)
During the meeting, Cox told commissioners that Texas All Creatures Rescue had trapped a number of the dogs.
On Oct. 6, Cox reported on her social media that “we successfully trapped and relocated all of the Godley Pack.”
Nine puppies and 10 adults went to Texas All Creatures, and three adults went to the Bluebonnet Animal Rescue Network, she said in the post. “None of these dogs will be going to the shelter.”
Texas All Creatures is seeking donations for food, veterinarian visits, vaccinations, spay and neuter surgeries, heartworm tests, deworming, collars and leashes.
“This is a large undertaking, but we couldn’t stand by and watch these good dogs be euthanized,” she said in her post.
Rescuers condition members of the so-called “Godley Pack” of stray dogs in Johnson County, Texas, to eat in one area as the group works to trap the dogs. (Courtesy photo | Texas All Creatures Rescue)
Commissioners expressed interest in exploring long-term partnerships with cities, nonprofits and neighboring counties to address animal shelter capacity issues in Johnson County.
“I hope that if we enter this agreement with the City of Fort Worth, that this can be a starting point for maybe a broader agreement that handles some of the capacity issues in Johnson County,” County Judge Christopher Boedeker said.
“I would also say that maybe we need to have a larger discussion in
the future about partnering with other surrounding counties, and maybe with nonprofit organizations to create an opportunity for us to financially assist people that are doing the good work of getting these dogs adopted,” Boedecker added.
To learn more about how the transcript that informed this report was created, visit covergov.com.
Eric Zarate is a freelance journalist. Scott Nishimura contributed reporting.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at news@fortworthreport.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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