The background
According to a Feb. 19 news release, McKee-Rodriguez filed a Council Consideration Request to develop a program to partially or fully fund pet deposits for individuals who choose to foster or adopt pets from San Antonio Animal Care Services’ shelter or partner shelters.
McKee-Rodriguez said he talked with officials from the San Antonio Apartment Association, adding that the proposal is designed to remove barriers to pet fostering and pet adoptions, and free up much-needed space in the municipal animal shelter.
The release states McKee-Rodriguez got supporting signatures from fellow council members Sukh Kaur, Adriana Rocha-Garcia, Teri Castillo and Melissa Cabello-Havrda in order to submit the CCR. McKee-Rodriguez said he hopes the council’s governance committee will consider the proposal soon.
What they’re saying
McKee-Rodriguez said he and other city leaders are concerned about how stray animals represent a public safety hazard, and about how aspiring or current pet owners and renters struggle to adopt and keep their pet in their residency.
“The high numbers of stray and roaming pets in San Antonio pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of both residents and animals,” McKee-Rodriguez said in a statement. “I will continue to work with our Animal Care Services department to find innovative ways to address this issue, and am pleased to partner with the San Antonio Apartment Association to find safe, long-term homes for our city’s pets.”
Allison Cohen, government relations manager with the San Antonio Apartment Association, said her organization looks forward to working with city officials to advance McKee-Rodriguez’s proposal toward full council consideration.
“The San Antonio Apartment Association is pleased to work alongside District 2 City Council representative Jalen McKee-Rodriguez in his tireless efforts to help make it more accessible to have pets in rental housing,” Cohen said in a statement.