Be Your Own Hero

Educate, Empower, Transform.  The Barrio Dogs slogan consists of our 3 part mission to change the reality for many animals in the East End.  Our "Be Your Own Hero" initiative empowers community members to stop asking why someone doesn't do something about the problem and realize that they are someone who can make a difference. 

Last week, KHOU released a story about a woman who took a stand for a dog who had been shot.  The Needville resident had the dog vetted and nursed him back to health and eventually found the dog a forever home.  See the whole story here:  Inspiring Storyon KHOU

Many shelters and rescue groups are over capacity at this time of year as pets are abandoned while their owners go away for the holidays and many more pets who were given as gifts are dumped after the excitement of their arrival wears off.  In these cold, rainy months consider being the biggest hero to a stray animal by rescuing, adopting, fostering or donating.  If you find a lost or stray dog, the information here is a great resource on how to Be Your Own Hero.

Found a lost or stray dog? This information may help.

This information is formatted for 8 1/2 x 11 paper so feel free to print. If you would like a pdf of this image, send an email to lynn@barriodogs.org.

When It Comes to Stopping Animal Cruelty, It’s Good to Be Nosy

This great article is from the April 2012 issue of "Pets Matter" magazine. For information about reporting cruelty and abuse in the Houston area, check the link on this blog.

 By Neil Ryan

Signs of Animal Cruelty Animals that shrink or cower from contact Animals left exposed in severe weather Emaciation Limping Untreated wounds Missing hair or fur Dirty or confined quarters Strong odors and lack of sanitation Chained and infrequently exercised animals

Last summer, Lynn Varin noticed a skinny horse confined to a small paddock in her rural Vermont community.

"He was in a stall for 4 days with nothing to eat, only water. I know because I checked every day."

Lynn reported the neglected horse to local authorities. When Vermont State Police officers acted on her report, they found four severely malnourished horses. They eventually cited the owner for animal cruelty and instituted a program of supervision to ensure the healthy recovery of the horses.

Lynn chose to act on behalf of the helpless. At-risk cats, dogs, other companion animals and livestock depend on people doing exactly what Lynn did. If you suspect animal cruelty, it may feel uncomfortable or even nosy to do something about it, but it may be the only shot an innocent animal has. Reporting cruelty can be done easily and anonymously once you have the resources handy.

Recognizing Cruelty and Taking Action
Hitting defenseless animals, keeping them chained without exercise or leaving them exposed in severe weather all count as abuse. Mistreating animals can (and often does) escalate into domestic assault. Studies have shown a link between violence toward animals and violence toward spouses, children and elders. If you witness an animal in imminent danger, dial 911. Police will respond. You can choose to remain anonymous, or by identifying yourself, you can help in future prosecution.

Hoarding occurs when someone possesses multiple animals without providing adequate food, care and sanitation. Hoarders often fail to understand the consequences of their actions and may exhibit signs of mental illness. Reporting hoarding can be a first step toward getting that individual into new or additional treatment. Call your local animal control officer or police department. Those agencies have the power to remove the animals or take corrective action, and they’ll involve social services if necessary.

Neglect is the most common form of cruelty, and it’s on the rise. As more Americans struggle with financial difficulty, many pets are put at risk of starvation, abandonment and death. The horses that Lynn observed in Vermont were victimized, in part, because of their owner’s financial situation.

Neglected animals may belong to neighbors you’ve known for years. They may try to hide the neglect due to embarrassment. You can try intervening yourself, or if you’re concerned about your neighbor’s reaction, many states and locations have set up tip lines and email addresses allowing you to call, text or email an anonymous report.

What Happens After You Report?
Most animal control officers view seizure and criminal charges as a last resort. Generally, officials or volunteers will attempt to educate the owner and provide that person with alternatives. If charges are brought, animal cruelty can range from a misdemeanor to a felony in certain cases.
Unfortunately, most states don’t have the resources to investigate and prosecute all incidents fully. You may have to follow up on your original complaint to make sure action was taken. Email your state legislators, and let them know that animal cruelty is a serious issue. It’s going to take persistent action to strengthen ordinances, laws and enforcement.

Nonprofit and volunteer organizations are on the front lines and under financial pressure as more and more animals arrive in their care. Look for rescue societies, shelters and community resources in your area, and volunteer or donate. Many nonprofit groups coordinate with authorities on cruelty issues. You may be able to report incidents through them.

Lynn is still keeping an eye on those horses. When people like you and Lynn stay observant and have the courage to act, it can make a huge difference (and nobody is going to call you nosy).
For more reading and local resources, visit the following URLs: www.aspca.org/ and www.humanesociety.org/.

Be Prepared to Act Call 911 if you’re an eyewitness to abusive behavior. Familiarize yourself with animal cruelty statutes in your state. An associated URL is www.aspca.org/Fight-Animal-Cruelty/Advocacy-Center/state-animal-cruelty-laws.aspx. Contact your town administrative offices or local law enforcement to determine your appropriate point of contact for animal cruelty complaints. Decide if you feel comfortable talking to an owner if you suspect neglect. Contact your animal control officer to report suspected abuse, neglect or hoarding. Search for local tip lines to call, text or email incidents anonymously. Report online videos or images of animal abuse to your FBI branch office. An associated URL is www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field/field-offices. Support local shelters, rescue and rehabilitation groups, and community organizations. Contact your legislators, and tell them to support strong animal welfare laws and enforcement.

Neil Ryan is a farmer and writer living in central Vermont.

A Mason and Sadie Reunion

Sadie goes swimming while Mason stays close by

Both Sadie and Mason were living in the streets across from Mason Park, Greater East End Houston, an area with many homeless and abandoned dogs like poor Sadie and Mason. After one of Sadie’s pups was run over, a caring resident decided that was the last straw and decided to help Sadie and her remaining pup, Mason.

Both Sadie and Mason were taken into the Barrio Dogs program, vetted and spayed and neutered. Mason has found a wonderful home but Sadie is still in need of a home; however, we know her day is coming.

Sadie was recently invited to Mason's new home for a reunion play day and we were very happy to have been part of this fun afternoon. Thanks to Mason’s new mom Kathryn Daly for inviting Sadie over to have a little bit of paradise!

Be Your Own Hero - Ginger and Her Puppies

This story is from Hillary Merritt Brown, a Barrio Dogs volunteer:

 Hi there Watchdogs! Just wanted to share with you that we are not just talking the talk but we are actually walking the walk at Barrio Dogs with our Be Your Own Hero campaign! On Saturday afternoon, after our adoption event, I went home and saw my neighbor outside and decided I was finally going to go over and meet him. You see, my neighbor has 3 adult dogs in his backyard on chains. I had previously had the Humane Society come out to check out the situation and they found him mostly in compliance with the law. The dogs each have shelters, albeit not the best and they had fresh water and are fed daily. At that time one of the two females had given birth recently and the puppies were also in the backyard. Another female was still pregnant. The officer who investigated advised my neighbor that he needed to place the puppies soon as he was not in compliance with the maximum number of dogs (which is 3) within city limits.


I was never really satisfied with the outcome of this visit as the dogs are still living on chains and the other female, who we call Ginger, had since given birth and the puppies were not really getting what they needed and were being harassed by one of the older puppies. So I finally gathered my courage and went over to offer my help under the guise of just being friendly. It turns out my neighbor is a very nice person who just needs a little education and help. He was overwhelmed by the dogs and offered me all 3 puppies immediately. I took them of course, even though I needed puppies like I need a hole in the head! I have a full time job, a family and pets of my own. But it was the right thing to do so ANYWAY, they are 4 weeks old right now and not yet ready for new homes so I asked him if we could also have Ginger at least temporarily to care for the babies for another month or so. And he agreed!

So now Ginger and her puppies are living in our guest room. I think it's the first time Ginger has ever been indoors and honestly, she been very freaked out. But hour by hour she has been warming up to us and she has been very willing to let us handle the babies. All 4 of them will be vetted this evening. My hope is that we will obtain permission to eventually spay Ginger and that we may even be allowed to find her a permanent home as well. Then we will work on neutering his other dogs and getting them off the chains. It's possibly a little over optimistic of me but we're giving it our best shot! I was nervous about how it would go when I went to talk to him and it went beautifully. Just goes to show that honey goes further than vinegar most of the time.

I hope you can all find it in you to do the same if you see someome who might benefit from a little help. Be Your Own Hero! I'll keep you updated on the family progress. Much love, Hillary!

If you would like to donate to help these dogs or any others, you can do so here.

The Big Fix

This program was initiated in San Antonio to do large scale spay neuter in lower income communities. This is a great idea that without a doubt has a positive impact on the number of homeless dogs and cats in a community. We hope that someday in the not too distant future we will be able to recreate the program in Houston!

Part of the Problem 3 (and Creating Your Own Solution)

These people tried to be clever and instead of selling their puppies, were "giving" them away while accepting "contributions". Barrio Dogs' friend, Anna Bermudez from Sophie’s Doggie Spa, took the people up on their offer to give away the puppies and took them away. The pups are now available for adoption; for more information, contact Anna at 832 283-2480.