BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Community members gathered at the Ben Austin Senior Center Wednesday night looking for answers about animal-related safety concerns in their neighborhoods.
The meeting was the third in a series of public safety events hosted by Kern County Animal Services and the Kern Safe Animal Coalition. The goal was to give residents a chance to learn about available resources and have an open conversation about animal-related issues impacting their neighborhoods, including frustrations over vicious and loose dogs.
Nick Cullen with Kern County Animal Services said stray and dangerous dogs are a concern they continue to hear about from the public.
"And just the frustration boiling over, and trying to meet with the community, answer the questions as to how they can participate in a solution," Cullen said.
Organizers also used the meeting to connect pet owners with services like animal control, low-cost pet care, spay and neuter programs, and other resources available through local partners.
"A lot of the groups here, including SOS Dog Rescue, they are making those resources available, trying to deliver to the community that needs it the most," Cullen said.
Robbie Miller, founder of SOS Dog Rescue, said solving the stray animal problem will take more than just local agencies. He encouraged residents to report problems to animal services, rather than only posting about them on social media, so officials can respond.
"It's going to take this whole community to fix it, from the public safety, people learning how to deal with these problems, and giving them the resources that they can then become responsible pet owners," Miller said.
Organizers said lasting change will depend on residents working alongside local agencies, reporting problems, and taking advantage of available resources.
"The dogs don't have voices, so we have to be their voice," Miller said.
Kern County Animal Services said it plans to continue holding community outreach events, hoping to connect residents with resources and improve public safety across the county.
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