Almost a year ago, Councilman David Glasheen gave Lubbock Animal Services (LAS) a public chewing-out, saying he was “not satisfied” with their performance. Fast-forward 10 months, and while things have improved a bit, loose dogs are still turning neighborhood strolls into live-action episodes of When Animals Attack.
Director Steven Greene insists they’re making progress—shorter hold times on calls, more officers hired, and even fewer dogs crowding the shelter. Of course, part of that drop came from a parvo outbreak that forced euthanizing puppies, which is about as “Lubbock solution” as it gets. But sure, let’s call it a win.
Stats show bites are slightly down, though 333 “moderate” dog bites this year alone makes you wonder what exactly counts as “moderate.” (“He only needed six stitches, not twelve.”) Severe bites hit 15, which officials say is less than expected—as if the bar for success in Lubbock is “only a handful of people mauled.”
Glasheen’s still barking about money being wasted on programs like helping residents repair fences. He’d rather put that $70,000 into more field officers. The logic: why prevent the dogs from escaping when you can just wait for them to bite someone and then send an officer out? Efficiency, Lubbock-style.
So, are we safer from stray dogs now? Well, let’s just say you still might want to keep your jogging route indoors—maybe around the aisles of Walmart.
