The sudden arrival of over 60 cats and one dog from a single private residence forced the Bedford Animal Shelter (BAS) to shut down this week.
Located at 1809 Reliance Pkwy., BAS announced on July 10 that it had halted adoption and intake services until July 13 after being overwhelmed by the dozens of animals seized in an eviction proceeding.
A statement from Bedford Police Department explained that the owner’s name and address could not be disclosed due to an ongoing investigation into the matter.
When Tarrant County constables were made aware of the large number of pets in the home as they began the eviction process, they called in officers from Bedford Animal Control to assist.
No details were released about the conditions in which these animals were living nor their overall condition, but vetting is said to be underway, according to the news release.
The Texas Penal Code holds that an individual can be charged with a felony for inflicting “cruel punishment” on an animal in their care. This includes failing to provide food, care, or shelter, which is punishable by a $10,000 fine and up to two years in jail.
BAS already had several dogs and cats in its care before Monday’s arrival of these pets.
Many shelters in North Texas, like Dallas Animal Services, have exceeded capacity due to the volumes of incoming owner surrenders and strays, as covered in The Dallas Express.
Overpopulation issues persist despite some municipal laws requiring owners to spay or neuter their pets — such as in Dallas and Fort Worth.
Recently, trap-neuter-release programs were made legal by House Bill 3660, which clarified that an individual bringing in a stray cat for spay or neuter as part of this program would not be charged with animal abandonment for releasing it afterward, as The Dallas Express reported.
Earlier this year, a poll conducted among Texas voters by the nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society found that 80% of respondents either somewhat or strongly supported these kinds of programs.