CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Residents near the Los Encinos neighborhood say they're terrified of going outside after a video surfaced showing several stray dogs attacking one of their neighbor's pets.
The video contains graphic content and may be upsetting to some people.
It looks like your typical neighborhood... but there's a big problem.
“One of them charged at my kid while he was playing around,” Los Encinos resident Jose Omana says.
Omana said there are anywhere from four to six stray dogs that roam his southwest side neighborhood.
It's gotten to the point where he feels unsafe and concerned for his family.
“Luckily, I was outside so as soon as I saw my kid running, I started running and chasing that dog,” he said. “But if you think about it being so many (dogs) if I wasn't out there something else could have happened to my kid.”
But he's not the only one who feels that way.
Just this weekend, his neighbor Melyssa Rios says those same stray dogs attacked and killed her pet cat.
“We found her passed away on Sunday,” Rios said. “She was dead.”
And only a few days later, she found them mauling a third neighbor's dog to the point that Rios says it had to be sedated.
“This is what they did to my cat,” Rios said. “I'm watching what they did to my cat to another animal and I'm here to save this animal. Why couldn't be there to save mine?”
Neighbors say they've all called animal control, but say it took this video evidence to get something done.
“It’s kind of unfortunate that it takes so long and it gets to a point where it puts people in danger,” Omana said.
Neighbors say they just want animal control to take action and pick up all the stray animals.
They also want to send a message to folks who let their pets wander off.
“Get them neutered or spayed,” Rios said. “It's a problem because that one dog that was left behind has reproduced twice already.”
Neighbors say last night animal care services came out to set traps for the dogs.
We're told at least one was picked up.
They're hoping to come back every day to gather as many as possible.
