HEARNE, Texas (KRHD) — Tonya Baker, the Hearne resident who has a personal animal shelter in her backyard, has started a petition to have officials build a county-wide animal shelter in Franklin.
- Tonya has been saving animals for more than 30 years.
- The petition has gained about 150 signatures so far.
- To sign the petition, click here.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
15ABC asked Hearne resident Tonya Baker how many signatures she would like to get on her petition.
"I'd like to get, you know, a million, but I'd like to get as many as it takes to get them to do, to open that shelter. Whatever it takes to open that shelter, that's how many i would like to get."
Animal dumping has been an ongoing problem in Robertson County.
"You can drive to Franklin right now and there's 30 or 40 dogs running the streets, skin and bones," Baker said.
A problem that's pushing Tonya Baker to take a stand.
"We need a shelter in the worst kind of way. Please give us a shelter. We need a shelter," she said.
Baker started a petition to get an animal shelter built in Franklin, something she believes is long overdue.
"I don't know who to talk to anymore. I don't know where to turn. I feel like I'm running out of options."
The petition has already received more than 150 signatures.
"It joys my heart. It's satisfaction. It satisfies me to know that there are people who care and that I'm not the only one. We're in it together, you know," Baker said.
According to recent studies, an estimated 70 million cats and dogs are homeless in the US, but baker told15ABC she will do everything in her power to bring that number down.
"There are so many people out here in Robertson County who care, you know, so many. Just sign that petition, y'all. Let's just see where we can get with it."
