The Olmos Basin is fast becoming a favored dumping site for unwanted animals – including four pit bulls found there this year alone – which may pose a safety threat for residents, the Olmos Park police chief said.

In his regular report to City Council during its May 16 meeting, Police Chief Louis Alcoser said he has seen an increase in the number of abandoned animals at the Olmos Basin, a popular recreational site with a soccer field and play area for children.

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“For some reason, people are dumping them off at the basin and they’re coming into the neighborhood,” he said. “We’re definitely seeing an increase.”

In a subsequent telephone interview, Alcoser said he suspects San Antonio residents no longer able or willing to care for their pets are dumping them at the site. But because the animals are wandering into the Olmos Park neighborhoods, they may pose a danger to local residents, he said.

Although three of the four pit bulls reported as strays were caught by police officers, the most recent one went two weeks escaping capture with its whereabouts now unknown. He said the pit bull that eluded police displayed signs of aggression, snarling at officers before fleeing. Like many small cities, Olmos Park does not have an animal control function, and relies on its police force for capturing strays.

“With the summer ahead and school being out, kids will be playing in their yards and riding their bikes in the streets,” Alcoser said, pointing to the dangers stray animals may pose to children, particularly pit bulls which have gained a reputation for potentially violent temperaments.

His assessment of the basin as animal dumping ground is buttressed by the prevalence of captured animals with no identification tags, he said: “These animals don’t show any signs of ownership.”

In addition to the pit bulls, several other dogs and “a lot of cats” have been recovered at the basin, the chief said. One recent capture was a pregnant rat terrier that just gave birth to a litter of eight puppies, all of which are available for adoption, he added.

Because the Olmos Basin is within San Antonio’s jurisdiction, the city should be notified in order to curtail the problem, suggested City Councilman Ronald G. Tefteller.

“This warrants a letter to San Antonio from the city manager in regards to animals being let loose in the basin,” Tefteller said. “They should require more animal control efforts.”

Once captured, abandoned animals are held for 72 hours at Olmos Park’s two designated holding facilities, Eagle Veterinary Hospital or Cowboy Kennels, both off McCullough Avenue, at a fee of $6 daily charged to the city. If their owners fail to claim the animals after that period, efforts are made to adopt them out through the use of newspaper advertisements, the chief said. And, although some 75 percent of the animals are spared, some ultimately are euthanized, he added.

Alcoser said he thinks the growing number of stray pit bulls may be the result of recent negative publicity related to the breed that may dissuade some people from keeping their dogs. Since January, there have been three serious incidents involving pits bull in San Antonio, including two fatal attacks, one on a young girl and another on an elderly man.

“The pit bulls have definitely gained a reputation for being aggressive,” Alcoser said. “Although we know there are some good ones, two of the ones we encountered showed signs of being aggressive