San Antonio man mauled by dogs on same day Animal Control Services adds 16 hires

Another San Antonio has suffered serious injuries in a West Side dog attack, according to News4SA.

The man’s mauling came mere hours after the city’s Animal Control Services unit welcomed 16 new hires as part of the department’s plan to curb violent dog attacks across the city, reports the Express-News.

In the latest in that string of grisly attacks, a 30-year-old man was reportedly walking down the street on the 100 block of South San Gabriel Ave. when two pit bulls came after him, News4SA reports. The  canines broke out of their owner’s yard via a hole in the fence, according to the station.

While the man was being attacked, an armed neighbor leaped into action, shooting both dogs in an attempt to save him. News4SA reports that both animals died at the scene. However, KSAT reports that one was pronounced dead while the other was brought to an animal hospital by ACS.

The man is now recovering in a nearby hospital with severe injuries to both of his legs, according to News4SA.

In response to the slew of attacks, the San Antonio City Council allocated ACS a 26% funding increase, the largest bump in the department’s history. That brings ACS’s total budget to $26.9 million for the upcoming fiscal year.

ACS used those funds to bring on 16 new hires specifically to address the city’s dangerous dog problem. Those officers went on duty the same day as the attack, reports the Express-News.

The director of ACS told KSAT that the department hopes to hire an additional 15 more officers by year’s end.

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This article appears in Nov 1-14, 2023.