WHITNEY, Texas (KXXV) — For the last two years, the city of Whitney has been collecting fees from our neighbors to register their pets. Now, some residents want to know where the money is going.
- One city official said that within the past two years, a little over $500 sat in a general fund, and the money was dispersed to
- "The city of Whitney does not have animal control or code enforcement, so there’s no accountability there either," said Denise Zamora.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"Where do you think that money is going?" asked 25 News reporter Chantale Belefanti.
"Somebody's pockets because it ain't going to help the animals," said Brandy Thorn, pet foster parent for Paws Place Rescue.
Brandy Thorn is a pet foster at Paws Place Rescue, which serves the city of Whitney and Hill County.
She has questions about how the city is using the money it collects from the annual pet registration fee it requires from inner-city residents.
For the past two years, the city has charged $5 for spayed or neutered animals and $30 for animals that aren't. She said it’s unclear where the money is going.
“So usually we ask that you register them by 16 weeks because that’s when they can start getting their rabies vaccine. So we do have to have a copy of their rabies vaccination also," said one city official.
The city official went on to say this.
"I know it goes into the general fund, but I don’t know who those funds are dispersed to; that would be a question for the city secretary," said one city official.
Denise Zamora is the CEO of Paws Place Rescue. She said for the past year she rescued about 200 animals in the city of Whitney and Hill County without the help from the city.
“The city of Whitney does not have animal control or code enforcement, so there’s no accountability there either. There are no fines for having no leash, so where is the money going?" said Denise Zamora, owner of Paws Place Rescue.
Justin Hamill volunteers at Paws Place Rescue with his stepdaughter. He said with no local animal control, the money should be funded to places that are making a difference.
“My stepdaughter is showing signs of PTSD. I know what having an ESA does for me, so bringing her out here has helped contribute to her being happier and not so depressed about the bad things that happened to her," said Justin Hamill, a volunteer at Paws Place Rescue.
