WARNING: This video contains images that some viewers may find upsetting.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — A video shot over the weekend shows three dogs walking without a leash — and sometimes on the road — in San Jose. Courtney Ferro says she was walking with her husband when they came upon the troubling sight.
Ferro says she had just left her job at the City of San Jose Animal Care Center because the ongoing and well-documented neglect and overcrowding was too much. But in this moment, she says she couldn’t walk away.
She managed to take Knight, who was bleeding from his leg, to a vet. One of the other dogs, a black and white Pointer, was later struck and killed. According to Ferro, animal control arrived at the scene 13 hours after the dog was hit.
The man and his other dog were nowhere to be found.
“It made me feel extremely frustrated,” says Ferro. “I wanted the dog to be safe, and I knew he was unsafe hours ago. I know the field operations are short-staffed and had one person on apparently.”
Rebekah Davis-Matthews also used to work at the shelter and has been documenting the long-standing issues with the city’s animal services for months.
“The shelter has problems in many areas, and this is highlighting they have issues in field services,” says Davis-Matthews.
In December, a scathing audit came out and made dozens of recommendations for the shelter.
It found neglect, unkempt kennels, and overcrowding.
Matt Loesch is the Department of Public Works Director. He says they worked closely with the auditor and are determined to improve the shelter and other services.
“I guess the biggest challenge is the volume of things we need to work on in addition to caring for thousands of animals every year,” says Loesch.
In regard to animal control, Loesch says they’re doing everything they can — but he promises improvements to the shelter are coming.
“They have to respond to 18 square miles of San Jose plus the other three cities,” says Loesch.
The Department of Public Works says they hope to fix the weekend issue soon, and they are just looking to hire one more veterinarian to fill the gap.
