The city of Katy in Texas will be installing a security camera at the City of Katy Dog Park after seeing a rise in "dog dumping" or the abandonment of dogs at the park since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The camera will be monitored by police, and officers at the adjacent police station will be dispatched if an owner leaves the park without their dog. In addition, the Katy City Police will work with the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to prosecute those who have abandoned dogs.
According to the Houston Chronicle, David Brown, animal control advisor for the City of Katy, said that the problem is becoming more serious as people drive in from outside Katy to abandon their dogs. “People can drive in from a long distance and find a dog park and dump the animal. When that happens, it drains our resources.”