After six reported dog attacks since October, Highland Park residents say fear is reshaping daily life as they demand action before someone is seriously hurt.
SAN ANTONIO — Neighborhood leaders in San Antonio’s Highland Park community say at least six dog attacks have been reported since October, warning that number likely represents only the incidents they know about — and that more may have gone unreported.
Residents say the attacks have occurred across different parts of the south-side neighborhood and have disproportionately involved elderly victims.
“Six attacks since October. Six. Separate attacks, not the same dogs,” said Erin Reid, president of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association. “Different parts of Highland Park. All elderly.”
Reid said she has been dealing with roaming and aggressive dogs since moving to Highland Park in 2020, describing repeated encounters with loose dogs — sometimes in packs — that have changed how residents live and move through the neighborhood.
Anthony Jacob, who has lived in Highland Park for five years, said the issue became personal when his son, daughter-in-law and their children were attacked while walking the family dog near Piedmont and East Highland Boulevard.
“As they approached and got closer, the dogs just took off running straight at them,” Jacob said.
Jacob said his son stepped in front of his family, yelling and gesturing to scare the dogs away. The family was not injured. Jacob said his son immediately called 311 to report the incident but was told someone had already reported the dogs.
“At that point, I feel like it should have been escalated to a 911 call,” Jacob said. “Dogs are unpredictable.”
Jacob noted that not all roaming dogs appear threatening at first glance. He said many are small and may not initially look dangerous, but still pose a risk when unrestrained. He also said the issue is not limited to strays.
“You have dogs that have homes here,” Jacob said. “They’re just not kept behind their fences.”
He said some dogs involved in reported attacks are escaping from unsecured homes, while others appear to have been abandoned or left to roam.
Not all victims have escaped injury.
Reid said a woman using a walker was attacked while getting off a VIA bus. A bus driver stopped and helped her reach safety.
The most recent reported attack happened Wednesday in the 1000 block of Kayton, according to Reid. She said a husband and wife — a Vietnam veteran and retired San Antonio police officers — were walking their dachshund when four dogs attacked them.
The dachshund is recovering, Reid said. The couple suffered multiple scratches, and the man sustained a puncture wound — just days following a hernia surgery.
Reid said the same four dogs have been the subject of complaints since October or November and that neighbors have repeatedly called for intervention.
“When we call 311, we’re told three to five days before they come out,” Reid said. “That’s not acceptable.”
She also said another elderly neighbor delayed leg surgery after being bitten and needing rabies treatment.
Reid compared current concerns to the 2023 fatal dog attack that killed 81-year-old Ramon Najera Jr. on the west side, questioning whether lessons were learned.
“Did he die in vain?” Reid said.
Concern about roaming dogs has reached beyond residents. A member of State Representative candidate Ryan Ayala’s campaign said he was attacked by a stray dog while walking the neighborhood during campaign outreach.
Jacob said Animal Care Services has attended neighborhood meetings in the past and increased patrols in the area, and he credited District 3 leadership for being responsive when residents ask for help. Still, he said the problem persists.
“I still see quite a few dogs around,” Jacob said, “and that speaks mostly to how difficult it is to actually find the dogs.”
In a statement to KENS 5, District 3 councilwoman Phyllis Viagran said her office is working closely with Animal Care Services, including conducting ongoing sweeps, to address roaming and aggressive dogs and strengthen enforcement. She said protecting and educating residents remains a top priority and that her office will continue pushing for proactive measures to prevent future incidents.
Animal Care Services said higher levels of enforcement depend on residents filing dangerous dog affidavits and that due process is required before dogs can be removed or euthanized. KENS 5 asked Animal Care Services whether there are active investigations tied to the reported attacks and what enforcement or intervention steps, if any, are being taken. The agency forwarded our request for data to the city’s Open Records Request department.
Reid said neighborhood leaders have tried to meet with the city’s new Animal Care Services director but have not yet been successful.
Neighbors say they are pushing for faster response times, stronger enforcement and proactive prevention — fearing the next call for help may not end without serious consequences.
“God forbid something tragic happen,” Reid said.