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Marshall citizens, council address vicious roaming dog concerns | For Subscribers Only

by Doggone Well Staff
November 3, 2024
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Marshall citizens, council address vicious roaming dog concerns | For Subscribers Only
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When Gina White takes her frequent stroll, she makes sure she is equipped with four essential things — pepper spray, an air horn, dog treats and sometimes a big stick.

Why? It’s to protect herself against potential roaming dogs, who are terrorizing neighborhoods, targeting innocent pets and individuals who they encounter along their path.

“I’ve had to use all of them with dogs,” White shared. “I was never afraid of dogs before this, but the streets of Marshall have changed that.”

White was among dozens of residents who turned out for the last meeting of the Marshall City Council to voice growing concerns regarding packs of roaming dogs becoming a threat throughout the city.

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“I’ve been bitten twice. I have nearly been bitten several other times and I’ve seen dogs hit by cars,” said White, who walks to work out of necessity and often runs with the Marshall Square Milers run club.

City officials outlined a number of steps they've taken or will take to address the issue, and also noted this was a regional issue seen across East Texas.

Police Chief Cliff Carruth said they’ve already spent a tremendous amount of money catching animals. But sometimes when the animal control department responds to reports of roaming dogs, the dogs have already traveled somewhere else.

“It’s a moving target,” he said. “I think the No. 1 thing we can do is to educate, probably short-term, is to educate the public, starting off with what they can do what they can’t do. I mean it’s possible that some of the citizens don’t know. So first step is to educate them and then certainly attempt to write citations when we can.”

Public Outcry

There were a number of residents who spoke on the issues caused by stray dogs and the city's response.

“I have made an open records request and I found that for many years, the City of Marshall did not offer a single citation for the violation of the Leash Law in Section 4.19 in the city ordinances,” White told the council. “Even when dogs bit and the police were called, leash law citations were not issued.”

To demonstrate the severity of the issue, White shared a Google map of locations, boasting 39 pins marking locations where either she or fellow club runners have encountered loose dogs over the past six months.

“That is not representative of 39 dogs because many of these instances involved packs of dogs. But you can see it’s not an isolated problem, and it’s not an insignificant one,” she stressed.

It’s one that has reached the neighborhood of Henley Perry, Merritt and Shirley Drive streets, neighborhood resident Martha Dyer said. It’s been the topic of concern on the neighborhood group’s Facebook page for months as many of residents have sadly reported the death of several cats by the hands of perpetrating dogs.







Jeffery Thompson, a Marshall resident, member of the Marshall Square Milers run club and maintenance director at Starr Family Home State Historic Site, voices his concerns, to the City Council, over vicious roaming dogs throughout the city. He was one of several who spoke during the public comment portion of the topic at the city's October meeting. (By Robin Y. Richardson/Marshall News Messenger)


She noted a pack of dogs that’s become a familiar terror throughout town showed up at a home in the 100 block of East Merritt, killing a cat and her kittens. The picture of the dogs was displayed to the council. They’ve been spotted not only on Merritt, but also on the corner of West Rusk and North Franklin Streets. Exhibiting more photos, Dyer reported another pack of dogs damaged a home in the 1000 block of South Washington Street, after hunting for kittens that were under the home, and killing them.

“I have talked with and emailed Lt. Ames. He has been the one person who has listened and taken our concerns seriously,” said Dyer. “He is responsible for some patrols at night in our neighborhood, looking for these packs of dogs. They have been spotted in different areas of town also.”

Dyer said she understands that the animal shelter is overcrowded and doesn’t have the space, but noted the packs of dogs she is referring to should never be adopted out anyway due to their violent nature.

“It is their nature to chase after anything that runs from them,” she said. “As far as I know, it has only been cats. All they do is chase and kill.”

“And it will be an unforgivable day when that ever happens to a child,” said Dyer.

Dyer said residents on her neighborhood’s Facebook page have shared posts over the years regarding loose dogs and strays, trespassing on their property. One of them reported a pack of dogs returned to her home, jumping the 5-foot fence of her backyard, killing one of the cats. The neighbor posted surveillance footage of her pleading for the dogs to leave.

“What is it going to take for the city to do anything about this ongoing nightmare?” she said.

Jeff Thompson, another member of Marshall Square Milers run club, echoed her sentiments as he spoke on his experience with loose dogs. Thompson said it’s an issue he’s encountered not only as a resident and runner, but also as maintenance director for the Starr Family Homes State Historic Site.

Thompson also shared pictures of packs of dogs running through downtown Marshall. He additionally showed a photo of $3,000 worth of car damage incurred by the same pack of dogs as they tried to chase a cat that had retreated underneath a car. Thompson said that was the same pack that’s been roaming throughout the Bel Air Addition, into the City of Marshall, and around neighborhoods surrounding the hospital.

Thompson said damage sustained to the Starr Family Home was caused by a dog chasing a neighboring home’s cat.

“You’ll see extensive damage that’s done to the duct work system, the insulation has been removed and torn as the dogs were trying to get to the cat,” Thompson pointed out. “I did extensive research trying to locate the cat after. Of course, he or she was deceased but unfortunately, was never able to find the cat at that time.”

Thompson said a raccoon suffered the same fate at the site by another set of dogs that chased the raccoon underneath the property.

Thompson thanked the council for allowing them to address them on the issue. Jill Wright also thanked the council for the opportunity to speak on such a critical issue that she says affects all of Marshall.

“I think I can speak for most everyone here that we are all animal lovers,” said Wright. “We own or have owned precious dogs and cats and we believe that our lives are better because of them. But we have a crisis of tremendous proportions that we must solve. Not that we could solve or we should solve, but we must solve.”







pack2.jpg

A roaming pack of dogs were spotted on East Merritt Street in these photos. (Contributed Photo)


Wright said, she too, has read the city ordinances pertaining to stray animals and pet care requirements in the city. She said the problem is the lack of enforcement.

“So, we need to put our money where our mouths are and what can we do,” she said. “We hear about these packs. It seems worse downtown, but I live in a neighborhood that’s not downtown and we have walkers and joggers and dog walkers in my neighborhood that have also been terrorized and bitten and chased by a particular dog and dogs and a particular address in our neighborhood. And this has been going on for several years. So if citations aren’t working, we need to do a better job of enforcing the current ordinances.”

Wright said they’re all willing to work with the city to come up with a solution.

“If the current revenue streams are not meeting the expenditures that are necessary then we need to find another way to pay for the enforcement that we so desperately need, and honestly I just feel that we don’t have a choice,” said Wright. “This is a serious issue.”

Leslie Langer, another member of the Square Milers club, said he’s been running the city’s streets for about 20 years and have never been more concerned about the safety of younger runners until now.

“The Marshall Square Milers, we’ve recently in the last several years, been able to get younger people involved in it, which I think is great,” said Langer. “But it’s sad when I can run behind a younger person and see a dog attacking, and me being 56 yards out, I can’t save her.”

Langer also appealed to officials to put teeth in the laws that exist or create ordinances that will deter the behavior. He said he wants parents to be able to entrust their children with them on their run.

Downtown business owner Paul Turner said the roaming dog issue has become a personal one for him as his very own cat was attacked by four dogs right outside of his office at the corner of Houston and Lafayette Streets.

“I was able to get the dogs off the cat, however, the injuries to my cat did prove fatal, so that brought home to me the real problem and the issue of roaming dogs in the city,” said Turner. “Since that time, I’ve seen dogs roaming in the city, at times near my office. Again, I’m much more careful with my cats these days, keeping a watchful eye on them, and I’ve also seen them on ring cameras in the neighborhood downtown, which surprised me. I would’ve thought roaming dogs would’ve been a problem out in the country somewhere. I was surprised in downtown Marshall, there they were. But, in any case, this is a problem that I’ve experienced and sure hope the council would take a look at a solution to this problem whether it’s more funding for spay and neuter programs, which I think would be a good thing, or better enforcement of leash laws.”







Starr Family Home.jpg

Duct work underneath the Starr Family Home State Historic site was damaged after a vicious loose dog chased a cat and killed it underneath the home. (Contributed Photo)


Daniel Smoke, who lives off of Houston Street by the former junior high school, said the problem is prevalent in that area as well. He said he’s also run into dogs that have been prepped for dog fighting. He said he encountered one recently as he walked East Houston Street.

“I’m walking down the street and something bumps me in the hip and knocks me to the curb,” Smoke shared. “(It was a) beautiful pit bull, but she had been fighting the night before. Someone had used her as an agitation dog and she had the bite marks on her neck.”

He said he had never been so proud to be from Marshall when he witnessed people rally around the dog to help him.

“Within an hour, we had a person on East Houston, who took the dog in,” shared Smoke. “Our hearts are broken that there are people who are fighting these dogs in our community. One thing positive we can do is make it very, very clear to everyone in our community that dog fighting is not tolerated. Dumping your agitation dog is not tolerated in Marshall.”

June Alexander was visibly torn as she spoke of her encounters with a pack of dogs attacking in her yard in the 500 block of Crockett Street. She said, this year alone, two cats were killed. She lost another cat by a dog last year. Alexander said in September 2023, she was personally attacked by a pit bull, who approached her in her yard and broke her shoulder replacement.

As a result, she incurred several medical bills and cannot return to work.

“I cannot go back to work as a corrections officer because I cannot fight anymore and protect myself anymore in the prison. This is out of hand,” Alexander said of the dog issue. “I’ve been injured, other people have been injured and I do not understand. This is out of hand.”

Like many of the residents who spoke during the citizen comments portion of the meeting, White, who was the first to speak, pushed for the need to enforce the leash law.

“We need to ensure that this is changed because it has fostered a culture of indifference to the culture of the leash laws,” she said of the lack of enforcement. “The dogs that I’ve had the most problems with are dogs with owners. People allow their dogs to roam freely and roaming dogs are a threat to people, they’re a threat to property, and they’re a threat to other pets. And when they’re not neutered or spayed, they increase the pet population of unwanted and uncared for dogs. And that intensifies the threat that they pose to those of us who want to run or need to run or walk or ride the school bus or spend time outside in our neighborhoods.”

Regional Issue

Stray dogs are a nightmare that not only the City of Marshall is wrestling with, but areas around East Texas, too, Chief Carruth shared, noting that it was a prime topic of discussion during a meeting he attended recently with 22 other police chiefs, including chiefs from Longview, Tyler, Mount Pleasant and surrounding cities.

“Interestingly enough, this topic was not on the agenda for the meeting but it came up (by) all 22 chiefs in all those cities,” Carruth reported to the council. A lot of people don’t think Tyler don’t have dog problems or Longview. Absolutely. They said that’s one of their biggest issues are stray dogs they’re dealing with.”

In February, the City of Longview saw the fatal dog mauling of Kenneth Pierson, a 46-year-old father who was killed by a pack of dogs while riding his bike along MLK Boulevard.

It’s an issue that’s getting so out of hand that residents here are turning to city officials to come up with a plan of action that will put some safety mechanisms in place, before it’s too late.







roaming dogs4

Jeffery Thompson, a Marshall resident, member of the Marshall Square Milers run club and maintenance director at Starr Family Home State Historic Site, voices his concerns, to the City Council, over vicious roaming dogs throughout the city. He was one of several who spoke during the public comment portion of the topic at the city's October meeting. (By Robin Y. Richardson/Marshall News Messenger)


Confinement Ordinance (Sec. 4-19) Reminder

The city heard the residents’ plea at the council meeting, and took the first step of action following the commission meeting by posting a public reminder of the city’s Confinement Ordinance (Sec. 4-19) for dogs. The reminder was posted on the Marshall Police Department’s Facebook page, informing all owners that:

• Dogs must be securely confined, leashed or under the control of a person 16 years or older at all times.

• Fences must be strong, tall and in good repair to prevent dogs from escaping and ensure the safety of others. Special requirements apply for dogs classified as “at risk” or “dangerous.”

• Underground fences alone are not enough to contain unsupervised dogs.

The police department warned that in the coming weeks, the department will begin issuing more citations for violations.

“Now’s a great time to make sure your yard or leash is up to date!” MPD advised. “Let’s work together to keep Marshall safe and friendly for everyone, two-legged and four-legged alike!”

Focusing On Solutions

Carruth told the council that the city will have to deal with this legislatively if they want to resolve the issue.

Observing citizens’ concerns, Interim City Manager Melissa Vossmer noted that the epidemic is actually a variety of issues that will require both a short-term and a longer term solution. She said she and Chief Carruth are working with a committee to develop recommendations to present to the council at the council’s December meeting.

“The leash law, if it does become a priority, that’s something that we can look at making sure that we do more enforcement on,” said Godfrey. She commended Lt. Ames for being responsive to residents’ concerns.

Mayor Amy Ware agreed that because it’s a multifaceted problem, different solutions have to be offered.

“These are dogs who have owners who are not being properly maintained and confined and then we have our strays,” noted Ware. “They don’t necessarily have the same solution. These are different audiences and different solutions to come up with.”

City Councilwoman Risa Jordan-Anderson noted that education is key, and was the one who suggested posting a reminder to the public about the city ordinance.

“As I was speaking with Chief Carruth about the situation, a lot of it is being educated. A lot of citizens are not educated concerning the ordinance in stray dogs,” she said. “And in the interim before they come up with some real solution, we need to maybe post in the paper or on the website, specific detailed information, this is what we will allow per city code ordinance and this is the results of it.”

When it comes to removing the vicious dogs off the street, City Councilman Dathaniel Campbell said euthanasia should be considered.

“Again, I know I sound terrible, but if they’ve killed other animals and they’ve bit other people, you can’t categorize a dog at a higher level than a person and someone else’s pet that people and our citizens are taking care of,” Campbell said to a resounding applause from concerned residents in the audience.

Carruth explained that as a no-kill facility, the city operated Marshall Pet Adoption Center has rules to abide when it comes to euthanizing animals.







pack3.jpg

The culprit was caught on camera after killing a cat underneath the Starr Family Home State Historic Site. (Contributed Photo)


“You’ve heard people say that were speaking, hey we want to get rid of these dogs, but we don’t want them euthanized. There are other people saying, hey, we’ve got these dogs, we need to euthanize them. One of the issues is that in 2022, when we built the new facility, the push at the time by the council, was hey, we have to be a no-kill facility, which affects our ability. I’m not saying it’s right; it’s wrong. I think in a perfect world, we want to do that and I know FOMA (Friends of Marshall Animals) supports that, so there’s a big push,” he said.

The police chief noted that, this year, MPAC was recognized as a no-kill facility, meaning they don’t euthanize more than 10% of the intake, and don’t euthanize any adoptable dogs or cats.

“We collect dogs from both the city and the county. Our animal control does not go out into the county, but we do receive those. So we get dogs and cats from both the city and the county. And typically, we have been well over 300% capacity. And we recently hired a new manager who is here, he’s doing a really good job and he’s gotten that from 300% over to exactly 100%. So, there are a lot of issues,” he said.

Campbell asked if something could be done to hold the owner of an attacking, loose dog responsible for the havoc it causes. Chief Carruth noted the challenge involved in proving dog ownership in court.

“When you’re talking about ticketing someone for a stray dog, the first thing you’ve got to prove is whose dog is it. They don’t carry a driver’s license. And while people say I know whose dog that is, proving that that’s their dog can be a challenge,” Carruth explained. “Now if two or three neighbors come down and say that’s their dog, we’ll testify in court, that’s pretty easy… but normally when we go out, nobody wants to go to court, nor will they say that’s someone’s dog. So, there are issues. But we are looking at the concerns.”

The police chief said he along with the committee will come up with a comprehensive plan and recommendations to present in December.

“It takes time. It can be dealt with, but you have to pass the legislation to deal with it,” he said. “And we have to have owners that are responsible with their dog. So, we’ll come together with a solution. Well, a comprehensive plan of what we’re going to try to do, what our recommendations are, you ask a professional group of animal services and different varieties. They’re going to come up with policies, procedures, and ideas of how we can fix this problem, still keeping with high services for animal services. The goal is still to be a no-kill facility if we can do that. That’s our goal, and we’re going to look and bring scenarios to you at what direction we’re going into.”

“We’re going to look at a plethora of legislation for animal control. And then we’ll present that to you. We’ll have to look at it, listen to the citizens’ response, and come up with a reasonable plan on what works best in certain areas, what does not work and then we will present a recommendation for some legislative change,” he said. “We’re going to look at all the different options of what’s been successful in Texas.”

The police chief said ultimately spaying and neutering animals is the answer in order to reduce the population, but it won’t happen overnight.

“You’re going to have to consider in this discussion coming up with some type of scholarship or some kind of funding mechanism, because a lot of times you’ll have the most poor in the community, they’re the most violators of this law, for whatever reason, so that takes money,” he said. “Again, it’s a discussion; we have to look at what’s been successful. But I promise you that’ll be one of the issues that we’ll have to deal with eventually.”



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