Animal news
Dallas animal cruelty unit raises $200,000 in record time
It took less than 60 days for Dallas County's new animal cruelty unit to reach its fundraising goal. Safer Dallas Better Dallas presented a $200,000 donation to Dr. Elba Garcia at a meeting of the Dallas County Commissioners Court on March 5.
The Animal Cruelty Unit was formed last November as part of the office of district attorney Craig Watkins, to prosecute anyone who abuses, tortures or kills animals. It's the first animal cruelty unit in North Texas.
Animal cruelty has become an increasingly grave concern in Dallas, after high-profile cases such as the one involving a puppy named Justice, who was set on fire in April 2012. A trial for all four suspects in the case — Darius Ewing, Adrian Ayers, Richard Valentine and Darius Carey — begins March 18.
The $200,000 comprised donations from the Meadows Foundation; Rees-Jones Foundation; Commissioner Maurine Dickey and her husband, Roland; the Alinda Hill Wikert Foundation; Skip Trimble; and Dallas Foundation, among many other smaller donors.
Gary Griffith, president of Safer Dallas Better Dallas, said that the partnership created to fund the effort was unique.
"I cannot recall another instance where a public/private partnership was created for this purpose," he said. "The fact that we were able to raise $200,000 in less than 60 days demonstrates the broad support in the community for protecting animals."