MARLIN, Texas (KXXV) — "Marlin is not unique in animal issues — Hillsboro has animal issues, everywhere you go you have animal issues, including the big cities,” said Marlin Mayor, Susan Byrd.
It's been four months with little to no updates from the city regarding the animal abuse investigation at the city animal shelter.
25 News sat down with Marlin Mayor Susan Byrd, who says there's no time frame for when the investigation will be completed.
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"We have started our own internal investigation — the gentleman has been hired, he's been active the last couple of weeks and we'll wait on the results of that," Byrd said.
The mayor says she is hoping new laws will be introduced requiring each county to develop its own animal shelter.
"If the state is going to step in and help out and make counties have animal shelters then that could take a lot of load off of poor Marlin who can't afford to do a lot of anything,” Byrd said.
25 News spoke with local animal activist Dorothy Sanders.
She disagrees with the mayor’s statements.
"It's frustrating because the city has the resources and they're choosing not to use them," Sanders said.
"They have a budget for animal control, they have applications for animal control officers, and it's been four months and there's been no answers."
With the animal shelter being temporarily closed, strays are now a major issue throughout the city.
Mayor Byrd says she's open to hear any and all solutions from our community, but not everyone believes her.
"I'm open to all suggestions… I'm looking forward to a new city council, I'm sure they have suggestions and ideas they've thought of as well,” Byrd said.
"They haven't taken the solutions that we've tried to collaborate with them on and moving forward so I don't have hopes that they will even sit down again and listen to even more ideas from us,” Sanders said.
