An organization in Copperas Cove is looking to save the lives of dogs that are euthanized in shelters based off of breed alone.
Thanks to a petition in 2013, animal shelters in Copperas Cove could begin to adopt what the city classifies as restricted breeds out, but only to rescue groups. This means dogs were being euthanized if a rescue couldn't take them.
Now, an organization called Save a Pet- Copperas Cove has started a petition that calls for the city to allow for those same restricted breeds to be adopted out to members of the public to help reduce the number of dogs left with no home.
"The restriction from Copperas Cove puts a damper on them getting adopted so we are just trying to get the dogs that don't get a chance or are stigmatized by that aggressive breed," Organization Member, Deborah Price said.
As of now, Copperas Cove allows restricted breeds like Pit Bulls, Chows and Rottweilers to be adopted from shelters, but only by rescue groups. The city said because of the frequency these breeds are involved in attacks, their adoption is restricted within the city.
"We would like to get about 15-thousand signatures before the next animal advisory meeting," Organization Member, Brittany Weimert said.
Though the individual signatures won’t do much, the support from thousands to lift what the group calls an "outdated ban" will do a lot.
"Hopefully the elected officials will listen to the constituents and what they want here locally and a lot of people want this ban off the shelter here," Price added.
The group said with the current Copperas Cove City Manager, who was in charge of the ban, stepping down the timing of the petition is not coincidental.
"She was actually really for the ban, she didn’t want to see any change in the policy," Weimert said.
Copperas Cove Save a Pet is hoping that with her absence comes the absence of this shelter ban.
The Copperas Cove animal shelter said they do work with rescues in the surrounding area and that animals are housed at the shelter for extended periods of time in an effort to avoid the need for euthanization.
The organization said the next Animal Advisory Meeting is in April, which means if they get thesupport they needthey could get the ban lifted by May.
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