In 2019, a city survey conducted by Animal Care Services estimated there are about 34,636 free-roaming dogs on San Antonio’s streets at any given time.
Seven years later, the department is partnering with Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to conduct the study again, this time using artificial intelligence technology to identify and count dogs rather than relying on human observers.
The study, which begins at the end of the month, will revisit the same 32 areas surveyed in 2019 to provide updated information on where roaming dogs are being observed and whether they appear to be owned pets or strays. The original study found that roughly 93% of the dogs observed appeared to have owners.
For the new study, SwRI researchers will mount cellphones to vehicle windows and use object-detection software to identify dogs as they drive through the study areas. The video clips will then undergo automated and human review to determine whether the dogs appear to be strays or owned pets roaming freely, based on their behavior and appearance.
Researchers will conduct the surveys through December before compiling a final report with their findings.
The study is intended to provide a comparison with the 2019 findings rather than a census of every roaming dog in San Antonio. By revisiting the same locations, researchers hope to better understand how the population has changed over time.
Animal Care Services Director Jon Gary told members of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Tuesday that preliminary testing of the technology showed it could identify animals that human observers missed.
While the new study could provide a clearer picture of the city’s roaming-dog population, Gary said existing department data already suggests the problem is improving.
During a broader presentation on ACS’s performance Tuesday, Gary pointed to a reduction in calls for service involving stray and aggressive dogs during fiscal year 2026.
One such indicator was a decline in deceased-dog pickup requests. The city recorded 5,332 such requests this past fiscal year, the lowest number in a decade, he said.
“When you look at the data, the data is showing that while we still got a long ways to go, there are less free-roaming dogs in the City of San Antonio,” Gary said.
Council members questioned whether the department’s overall progress was enough to address the city’s longstanding animal care challenges.
District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez called for a master plan that would identify the staffing, funding and other resources needed to substantially reduce the number of roaming dogs, while addressing the department’s other challenges.
“What would it take to get to no stray roaming animals? Virtually none,” McKee-Rodriguez said. “How do we get to the smallest number possible?”
He suggested the city should establish a clearer picture of what it would take to reach that goal, rather than continuing to make improvements using the department’s existing resources.
Committee Chair and Councilwoman Sukh Kaur (D1) echoed those concerns, acknowledging improvements in some areas, including the department’s response to critical calls, while saying other community-wide problems remain unresolved.
“Some of the other metrics that are still community-wide issues, we’re not making enough progress on,” Kaur said. “I want to see some really aggressive goals and plans to get there, and figuring out what all the puzzle pieces are to make sure that we can actually make that happen.”
Deputy City Manager Maria Villagomez said city staff would return to the committee before the next budget planning process with a plan outlining potential strategies, staffing needs and costs to expand its spay-and-neuter services and to better address roaming dogs.
