![\"Gulf](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.animals24-7.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/Picsart_25-02-26_22-54-45-126-e1740639323869.jpg?ssl=1\")
<\/a><\/p>\n(Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CORPUS CHRISTI,\u00a0 Texas\u2013\u2013<\/strong>Adam Beam of KRIS-6 television in Corpus Christi,\u00a0 Texas,\u00a0 \u201cneighborhood news reporter for San Patricio County alongside Victoria Balderama,\u201d\u00a0 on February 26,\u00a0 2025 broadcast a sob story for anyone who cares about either animals or children.<\/p>\n Natalie Casas,\u00a0 a senior at Mary Carroll High School in Corpus Christi,\u00a0 and a four-year member of the school Future Farmers of America chapter,\u00a0 arrived at the school barn around 5:40 a.m. on February 11,\u00a0 2025,\u00a0 discovering when she turned on the lights that a pack of six dogs including several apparent pit bull mixes had mauled her lamb and goat so badly that they required euthanasia,\u00a0 had injured two more of her animals,\u00a0 and had killed fellow student Adrian Salazar\u2019s lamb.<\/p>\n Natalie Casas sits with one of her goats. (Lorraine Valdez-Casas photo)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Casas called her mother,\u00a0 Lorraine Valdez-Casas,\u00a0 who along with comforting her daughter and snapping a photo of the six dogs lying in a field nearby,\u00a0 estimated to Bean of KRIS-6 that the loss to the Casas family would be more than $4,000.<\/p>\n A Go-Fund-Me posted after the incident by a family friend raised just $1,170.<\/p>\n \u201cThe money she would have earned off these animals this year was going toward Natalie\u2019s college education,\u201d\u00a0 Lorraine Valdez-Casas said.<\/p>\n Animal advocates will recognize at this point,\u00a0 even though Beam and Balderama omitted it,\u00a0 \u00a0that Natalie Casas\u2019 animals were doomed anyhow to imminent slaughter,\u00a0 having been raised,\u00a0 like all other Future Farmers of America project animals,\u00a0 specifically to be auctioned, \u00a0killed,\u00a0 and butchered.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Future Farmers of America,\u00a0 like the 4-H programs that feed into it,\u00a0 is boot camp for the meat industry,\u00a0 designed to break the hearts of children who first bond with their young animals as they hand-raise them,\u00a0 then must sell them to their deaths.<\/p>\n This supposedly inures future farmers to their future work,\u00a0 raising animals to be killed by the tens of thousands.<\/p>\n But bad as all this is,\u00a0 from an ethical perspective,\u00a0 even identified by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (among many others) as an institutional form of child abuse,\u00a0 children finding their animals in the process of being dismembered alive by dogs is not part of the program.<\/p>\n Future Farmers of America and 4-H animals are at least supposed to receive the very best of care right up until they are trucked away out of sight.<\/p>\n (Facebook photo)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The worst of the Mary Carroll High School animal massacre by dogs running at large,\u00a0 though unmentioned and unexplored by Beam and Balderama,\u00a0 is the likelihood that it occurred because of Gulf Coast Humane Society and Corpus Christi Animal Care Services policies that prioritize protecting dogs from euthanasia over protecting the public\u2013\u2013and other animals\u2013\u2013from dangerous dogs.<\/p>\n The Gulf Coast Humane Society is located less than 1,500 feet,\u00a0 according to Google Earth,\u00a0 from Mary Carroll High School\u2013\u2013and incidentally,\u00a0 is even closer to the Bishop Garriga Middle Preparatory School and not much farther from the John Paul II High School.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The schools,\u00a0 in short,\u00a0 are a very quick and easy run away for any dogs dumped outside the Gulf Coast Humane Society by dog owners frustrated by the society\u2019s admission policies.<\/p>\n The major obstacle for such dogs would be Saratoga Boulevard,\u00a0 a busy street by day,\u00a0 but practically deserted late at night.\u00a0 Livestock smells and sounds would be an obvious attractant to a probably bored and hungry dog pack.<\/p>\n After the attack on the Future Farmers of America animals at Mary Carroll High School,\u00a0 at least two of the dogs,\u00a0 including at least one of the pit bull mixes,\u00a0 apparently ran back across Saratoga Boulevard to the 2800 block of\u00a0 Cactus Road,\u00a0 where Corpus Christi Animal Care Services captured them about 1,500 feet behind the Gulf Coast Humane Society building.<\/p>\n The other end of Cactus Road,\u00a0 just two short blocks long,\u00a0 terminates at the Gulf Coast Humane Society building.<\/p>\n Beam of KRIS-6 mentioned that,\u00a0 \u201cThis is not the first time such an incident has occurred at the barn.\u201d<\/p>\n Cody Leal,\u00a0 \u201cone of the two agricultural science teachers at Mary Carroll High School and an FFA advisor,\u201d\u00a0 introduced Beam,\u00a0 \u201cnoted that a similar attack happened about 10 years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n (Corpus Christi Animal Care Services photo)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Said Leal,\u00a0 \u201cBack then, the community thought there was some kind of crazy cult running around harming animals.\u00a0 The reality is it was probably another pack of stray dogs. \u00a0After that incident, \u00a0more chain-link fencing was added to the barn to secure it as best as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Currently,\u00a0 Beam paraphrased,\u00a0 \u201cLeal said the Future Farmers of America are exploring insurance policies to protect student’s investments in their animals.\u201d<\/p>\n Affirmed Leal,\u00a0 “I\u2019ve already reached out to an ex-ag teacher who works with insurance to see what policies are available.\u00a0 This way, \u00a0if something like this happens again, \u00a0the students would be covered financially.\u201d<\/p>\n Beam did investigate the Corpus Christi Animal Care Services response to the Mary Carroll High School dog attack.<\/p>\n (Corpus Christi Animal Care Services photo)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe Border Collie mix and Labrador Retriever mix pictured above,\u201d\u00a0 Beam wrote beneath photos of two dogs on the KRIS-6 web site,\u00a0 the same photos posted by ANIMALS 24-7<\/strong> here,\u00a0 \u201care believed to be two of the dogs involved in the barn incident.<\/p>\n “Both dogs were listed for adoption and later removed.\u201d<\/p>\n The chief faint resemblance either dog has to a border collie or a Labrador retriever are four legs,\u00a0 a tail,\u00a0 and fur.<\/p>\n This may not have been noticed because Corpus Christi Animal Care Services also failed to notice whether the alleged “Labrador Retriever” was male or female.<\/p>\n \u201cThe two captured dogs have been deemed a threat to public safety and have been euthanized,\u201d\u00a0 Beam reported.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the dogs aggressively bit an animal care officer while in custody, \u00a0and the second dog did not pass a temperament assessment.\u201d<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Animal care officer?\u00a0 Where the 4-H was\/is an animal control officer?<\/p>\n Well,\u00a0 never mind.\u00a0 Despite three human fatalities from dog attacks in 12 years,\u00a0 two of them by pit bulls,\u00a0 Corpus Christi does not appear to believe in controlling dangerous animals,\u00a0 only about caring for them,\u00a0 damn their victims.<\/p>\n (See Corpus Christi: 30th U.S. dog attack fatality of 2023 is 21st by pit bull<\/a>.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cRegarding posting the two impounded stray dogs on Animal Care Services’s adoption platform, \u00a0Petconnect,\u201d\u00a0 Corpus Christi Animal Care Services said in a prepared statement,\u00a0 \u201cposting all impounded animals on Petconnect is common among municipal animal shelters nationwide.\u00a0 This practice allows owners to identify and claim their animals or be issued citations.\u00a0 Additionally, any patrons inquiring about a dog are informed of its availability for adoption.\u00a0 Just because the animal may be on Petconnect does not mean it is available for adoption.<\/p>\n \u201cAnimal Care Services followed proper procedures in this case,\u201d\u00a0 the prepared statement concluded.<\/p>\n In which alternate universe,\u00a0 Corpus Christi Animal Care Services did not specify.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n What suggests that the six dogs running at large were likely turnaways from surrender to the Gulf Coast Humane Society, \u00a0or were dumped there after hours?<\/p>\n To begin with,\u00a0 the Gulf Coast Humane Society,\u00a0 with an annual budget and expenses of about $2.5 million a year,\u00a0 recipient of $23,394 in grant funding from the Best Friends Animal Society in 2023,\u00a0 accepts owner surrenders of animals only by appointment, \u00a0with an advertised waiting time of 3-4 weeks.<\/p>\n Gulf Coast Humane Society spokesperson Jackie McCollough on January 29,\u00a0 2024 acknowledged to Faith Colbert of KIII television news in Corpus Christi that the waiting time had become six to eight weeks.<\/p>\n According to the Gulf Coast Humane Society,\u00a0 \u201cDue to an overwhelming number of requests, we are unable to accommodate walk-ins.\u00a0 All owner surrenders have a fee of $35,\u201d\u00a0 which for six dogs would be $210.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cAll intake applications must have a photo emailed to\u00a0intake@gchscc.org\u00a0in order to be considered.<\/p>\n \u201cAnimals may be denied due to behavioral or medical issues if we are unable to handle the issue in question.\u201d<\/p>\n All of that might be somewhat workable if Corpus Christi also had an open admission animal shelter operating 24 hours a day,\u00a0 seven days a week,\u00a0 to accommodate situations such as family emergencies,\u00a0 evictions,\u00a0 and unexpected deaths of pet owners without survivors able to accommodate animals,\u00a0 among many other relatively frequent crisis situations.<\/p>\n Unfortunately,\u00a0 Corpus Christi Animal Care Services\u2013\u2013<\/strong>the same outfit that apparently does not do animal control\u2013\u2013also posts,\u00a0 \u201cAppointment Required to Owner Surrender Your Pets.\u201d<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Specifies Corpus Christi Animal Care Services,\u00a0 \u201cPet(s) are accepted by appointment only and based on available space in our kennels. \u00a0There will be a one-time $50 surrender fee per pet ($100 if a Bite surrender).\u201d<\/p>\n Please note the significant economic disincentive for anyone to surrender any dog with bite history,\u00a0 no matter how dangerous,\u00a0 to Corpus Christi Animal Care Services.<\/p>\n Surrendering six dogs with probable bite history would cost $600.<\/p>\n If and when one can get an appointment.<\/p>\n (Beth Clifton collage)<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n So what does someone with six fractious dogs do in a crisis situation?<\/p>\n People in Corpus Christi and every other community whose shelters have similar policies need to be asking that question.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The post Did shelter policies cause FFA animal massacre by dogs at large?<\/a> appeared first on Animals 24-7<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (Beth Clifton collage) Policies meant to discourage owner-surrenders may have led to pack killing two lambs and a goat just 1,500 feet from the Gulf Coast Humane Society \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CORPUS CHRISTI,\u00a0 Texas\u2013\u2013Adam Beam of KRIS-6 television in Corpus Christi,\u00a0 Texas,\u00a0 \u201cneighborhood news reporter for San Patricio County alongside Victoria Balderama,\u201d\u00a0 on February 26,\u00a0 2025 broadcast […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":114614,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12022],"tags":[1330,5805,26538,847,35251,13992,14153],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-114612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activist","tag-animal","tag-dogs","tag-ffa","tag-large","tag-massacre","tag-policies","tag-shelter"],"yoast_head":"\nPolicies meant to discourage owner-surrenders may have led to pack killing two lambs and a goat just 1,500 feet from the Gulf Coast Humane Society<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nCalled her mother<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nBoot camp for the meat industry<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nGulf Coast Humane Society and Corpus Christi Animal Care Services policies<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nA quick & easy run<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nChain link fence & insurance<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n“Border collie mix & Labrador retriever mix”!?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWhere the 4-H was an ACO?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWhat suggests the dogs at large were turnaways?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nSurrenders “may be denied due to behavioral issues”<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nSurrender fee of $50,\u00a0 $100 “if a Bite surrender”<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nPlease donate to support our work:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
www.animals24-7.org\/donate\/<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n