The question is not, can they reason?
Can they talk? But rather, can they suffer?

Jeremy Bentham

Before you decide that this is a story finding fault with Isabel Mendez's administration of the Laredo Animal Protective Society over the last 16 years, make note that much credit goes to Mrs. Mendez and her husband Enrique for all the years they were able to make do with very little and in the face of processing through the shelter rising and unmanageable numbers of strays.

“Very little” is the participation of the City of Laredo and Webb County which for whatever reasons have thrown an unrealistic sum of money at an entity that has great bearing on public health and safety. Shame on the City and the County for their shortsightedness, their lack of participation with in-kind resources, and their inability to prioritize adequate funding for so large a concern.

I learned in the course of gathering information for this story, according to the International City/County Management Association, that a city and/or county that takes animal health and public safety issues seriously would spend more than $4 per capita to support those issues. San Antonio spends about $2.17 per capita. In this city of about 185,000, the city and the county combined offer the shelter about 85¢ per capita, $158,000 -- $250,000 shy of what it has taken Isabel Mendez to run the shelter. Imagine running your business or governmental entity with that handicap and how that might affect your ability to accomplish your stated missions.

If the city and the county ponied up to spend $2.17 per capita per year, the shelter could operate on its $400,000 budget. At $3 per capita per year, the shelter could make much needed improvements.

María Eugenia Guerra