(Seguin) – After days of public discussion surrounding a parvovirus outbreak at Guadalupe County Animal Services, Guadalupe County Sheriff Joshua Ray has issued a public apology and correction after acknowledging that he incorrectly stated the Guadalupe County Humane Society, a local non-profit, had also experienced a similar outbreak.
The correction comes after the sheriff’s office announced significant policy changes following a three-week parvovirus outbreak at the county-operated animal shelter that resulted in the euthanasia of 47 dogs.
According to the sheriff’s office, 45 of the dogs tested positive for parvovirus while two others were euthanized for unrelated reasons. Officials stressed that the dogs were not euthanized simply because of overcrowding, saying the viral infections were the determining factor in the decisions. The outbreak also prompted the county to immediately stop accepting most stray dogs unless they pose a danger to the public or are sick or injured. The shelter will also close to incoming animals whenever it reaches capacity, with officials saying overcrowding at the 33-kennel facility contributed to the spread of the highly contagious disease.
In the original statement explaining the outbreak, Sheriff Ray mentioned that the Guadalupe County Humane Society had also recently experienced its own parvovirus outbreak that resulted in euthanized animals, noting the organization had not received the same level of public criticism.
That statement has since been retracted.
In a public apology released Sunday, Ray acknowledged he relied on secondhand information that had not been officially verified before repeating it publicly.
“I moved too quickly on information that later proved to be inaccurate,” Ray said. “I own that.”
After speaking directly with members of the Humane Society’s board, Ray confirmed there was no parvovirus outbreak at the organization’s shelter and no animals were euthanized.
He also said he personally contacted a Humane Society representative before issuing his public statement because they deserved to hear the correction directly from him.
“The Humane Society does good work for animals in Guadalupe County, and my words put their reputation in question. That should not have happened,” said Ray.
In addition to apologizing publicly, Ray announced he would make a sizable donation to the Humane Society, saying the contribution was intended to demonstrate support for an organization that became involved in the controversy through no fault of its own.
“This is not about writing a check to make a problem go away. It is about backing up my words with action and supporting an organization that did not deserve to be caught up in this. I hold my officers and staff to a high standard, and I have to hold myself to the same one. I should have verified the information before I said a word. I did not, and I am sorry for the harm it caused. Good leaders are not afraid to own up to their mistakes, and I hope that is the standard I am setting for my personnel today. When you make a mistake, own it,” said Ray.
While accepting responsibility for the mistake, Ray emphasized his concerns about the county’s long-term animal shelter needs remain unchanged and said he will continue working with Guadalupe County Commissioners Court on possible solutions. Those discussions include his previously announced Oct. 1 deadline for commissioners to address the future of county animal shelter operations.
The Guadalupe County Humane Society responded Monday by accepting the sheriff’s apology and thanking both Ray and sheriff’s office employees for their financial contribution.
In a statement, Humane Society board member Dave Gettig said the organization appreciates the sheriff correcting the record and reiterated the shelter’s mission of caring for homeless animals throughout Guadalupe County and surrounding communities.
Gettig noted the Humane Society operates as a no-kill, nonprofit shelter and maintains a 98 percent adoption rate into permanent homes through community support and donations.
The Humane Society also revealed that the two organizations had already been working together before the recent controversy. Several months ago, Humane Society leaders met with the sheriff and county shelter employees to discuss ways to improve animal welfare. As part of that cooperation, the Humane Society accepted 12 dogs from the overcrowded county shelter to help relieve space constraints.
Looking ahead, Humane Society officials said they hope to continue partnering with local agencies to address the growing number of abandoned, homeless and unaltered animals throughout Guadalupe County.
Although the exchange of inaccurate information created tension between the two organizations, both sides now say they are focused on moving forward together with the shared goal of protecting and finding homes for animals in need.