stopgassingtexaspets

City of KINGSVILLE flip flops on the gassing issue

The City of Kingsville has been all over the place on the issue of gassing shelter animals. Below are emails from Kingsville officials as well as from a private citizen repeatedly asking for a resolution to this matter!

Response Sept 23, 2010

"The former City Manager has left to assume the City Manager position in Harlingen. I am serving as the Interim City Manager and read your email this morning. I've visited with the Health Director briefly and asked that department to start looking into an alternative method of euthanasia. We hope to have some proposals on this matter before the first of the year."

Kingsville Interim City Manager Courtney Alvarez (attny@cityofkingsville.com)

Email sent December 12, 2010 Asking about ending the gassing

Response Dec 17, 2010

“No decision has been made as of yet. The City-County Health Department is looking into other options and will be bringing information in within the next several weeks. If there are budget implications to make a change, then both the City Commission and the County Commissioner’s Court would need to approve the budgetary matters. We appreciate the additional information you have provided.”

Sincerely,

Courtney Alvarez

Interim City Manager

City of Kingsville

Email sent December 17, 2010 stating he will check back in the new year.

Email sent January 16, 2011 asking if a decision has been made about the end of gassing.

Email sent January 24, 2011 asking again for a decision.

Email sent February 8, 2011 why hasn’t their decision been made available yet.

Response Feb 9, 2011

“No decision has been made yet.”

Courtney Alvarez  attny@cityofkingsville.com

Email sent March 22, 2011 asking if a decision has been made

Email sent November 29, 2011 an issue that was supposed to be resolved by the end of 2010 still lingers near the end of 2011.

Response Nov 29, 2011

“I am in favor of the most humane form of euthanasia for our animals, which are largely the innocent victims of pet owners who fail to have their animals neutered or spayed as well as being the undeserving victims of those who mistreat their animals. But I am also in favor of considering the emotional impact that euthanizing these animals has on City employees who have assumed this extremely unpleasant task. Euthanasia by injection would be a more intimate and emotionally challenging experience for our employee and for that reason alone I am not supportive of having City employees utilize the injection method. The Health Director, Yolanda Cadena, is exploring the option of outsourcing this responsibility to local veterinarians. The outcome of this is option is not yet known nor has a funding source been identified for the increased cost.”

Vincent J. Capell

City Manager

200 E. Kleberg

PO Box 1458

Kingsville TX 78364

(361) 595-8002 – Voice

(361) 595-8024 – Fax

citymanager@cityofkingsville.com