In case you missed it
The city of San Marcos intends to transfer regional responsibilities to Hays County and regional animal shelter services will conclude at the end of the agreed-upon term—Sept. 30, 2026—according to the agreement. Once the agreement concludes, the shelter will operate as an animal shelter solely for the city of San Marcos.
The impact
Animal Control Officer Briana Brecher said about 700 animals have gone to the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter in this current fiscal year.
“We are seeing an increase in the numbers that we’re seeing at the shelter, but a lot of them are going back into the community within weeks of impoundment,” Brecher said, noting that the city will need to come up with an option for housing stray animals long-term.
“We need to have adequate space to accommodate the amount of animals in the community,” Brecher said. “We’re guess-timating that we will probably be looking at housing somewhere between 700-800 animals a year based off of our current numbers,” she added.
The options
Hays County is looking to build a pet resource center that would serve as a temporary “safe haven” for pets in need while also keeping pets and families together, according to previous reporting by Community Impact. Mayor Pro Tem Robert Rizo said he would like the council to consider reaching out to the county to see if they can form a partnership to build something long-term.
What city officials are saying
Mayor Travis Mitchell said it was an “impossible task” to have an operating facility in 24 months.
Kyle City Manager Bryan Langley said it would cost over $10 million for the city to build a facility.
“It is a short window. We need to move quickly,” Langley said.
Looking ahead
The city will begin looking to hire consultants and architects to assist with determining overall needs and size for a facility and bring back options for a property to house the facility at a future meeting, according to agenda documents.
