Due to the recent surge in Omicron COVID-19 cases and staffing shortages, Dallas Animal Services will now be closed to the public on Thursdays.
According to FOX 4 KDFW, the number of city workers that are falling ill keeps increasing.
City Councilman Omar Narvaez noted, “With COVID, Omicron is spreading so fast … 10-20-30 percent of a department [can be out].”
Dallas Animal Services had already been short-staffed even before the surge. With the Thursday closings, staff scheduling will be adjusted to better serve its customers for the rest of the week.
Revised hours of operation include 1 to 6 p.m. on Sundays–Wednesdays, 1 to 6 p.m. on Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
Despite the closure on Thursdays, Councilman Narvaez, a member of the Quality of Life Committee, said that the animals will not be abandoned on Thursdays. Workers will be physically available at the shelters to care for the animals. Calls regarding stray animals or abuse of animals will not be delayed or ignored on Thursdays. Pet owners who want to claim lost pets, or surrender animals, can also call the shelter on Thursdays.
“Closing on Thursday is only for people who visit,” Narvaez said. “You can still adopt online or surrender a dog on Thursday. Everything is the same except being able to browse the animals.”
Narvaez commented that the Thursday closures will be enforced until further notice. However, he added that he hopes the shelter can be reopened to the public on Thursdays in February.
Narvaez mentioned that staffing shortages are being experienced across the city. “We’ve had an issue in Dallas fire, Dallas police, sanitation,” he said.
“Just like the rest of the city, state, nation, [and] world [are] having staffing shortages,” Narvaez continued, “the city of Dallas is no different.”
Narvaez added that there is an improvement in the staff shortage issue at the police and fire departments.
