Los Fresnos News

Dog Adoption Held at County Animal Shelter

Area residents checking out some the dogs available for adoption. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

by Tony Vindell/LFN

It could either be called a sad story or one with a happy ending but the hope is that what happened at a deplorable animal rescue place outside the Los Fresnos city limits, doesn’t happen again.

Up to 270 dogs and one cat were seized and taken to the county animal shelter off FM 510 during a Monday, Sept. 9 law enforcement operation led by the Cameron County Sheriff’s Office.

Many of the canines looked as squalid as they could be while others appeared to be healthy, but the look on their faces tells a story of despair.

In a large chain link cage, several small dogs clutched together. In other cages, medium-sized dogs either barked or jumped up and down giving the impression they can go home.

And home some of them went as scores of people paraded through the shelter’s inside and outside areas in hopes of finding a pet of their choice.

Maria Nunez was happy to adopt a dog. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

Many of the dogs kept barking as children, parents and even senior citizens kept walking and looking for a pet to adopt.

“This is Chiquita,” Roxanna Vargas said as she held a mixed Chihuahua puppy. “I am going to call her Chiquis.”

She was the first person to get the OK during the adoption event, held from 4-8 Monday, Sept. 16. A total of 67 dogs were adopted on that day.

A second adoption fair was held on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

She said she moved into a new place and will now have Chiquis as her companion.

Maria Nunez, a senior citizen from San Benito, was another lucky person.

“This is my new pet,” she said; leaving the shelter with the help of a walker. “Thanks God!”

Roxanna Vargas and her adopted pet Chiquis. Photo: Tony Vindell/LFN

The adoption event drew several hundred people that waited outside the shelter gates either standing or sitting on chairs arranged for their comfort.

“We have two Rottweilers,“ said Brownsville resident Janie Rivera as she and her two daughters waited patiently outside the gates. “We would like to have a smaller dog, perhaps a pug or a Dachsund.”

The adoption took place after county health officials decided to give residents a chance to have a pet and to relieve the shelter of so many dogs

In addition to the confiscated four-legged critters, the shelter has its share of dogs dropped off by people that don’t want them for one reason or another or picked up by animal control officers.