SEBASTIAN – A Willacy County resident says she’s had enough of loose dogs roaming her neighborhood after one of them bit her grandmother.

Sebastian Resident Isabel Rodriguez says although her grandmother is doing fine, the dogs still roam.

Rodriguez tells CHANNEL 5 NEWS she sees at least 12 of them a day.

“They start breeding with other dogs, and then they just become too many. Then, no one wants to be responsible for them anymore,” she says.

Rodriguez says some of the dogs do have collars – an indication that they belong somewhere.

She says her neighbors are just not being responsible pet owners.

“We've got 'em running around everywhere now. You can just look right, left and they are there,” she says.

Rodriguez says she wants help from the county.

“We're part of the county, we pay our taxes too. Animal control should come in here and help us out,” she says.

When she called for help, she learned there were very little options.

“There is no animal control, according to what I've been told, for Sebastian,” she tells us.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS reached out to Willacy County for answers. Commissioner Eduardo Gonzales clarifies, neither Sebastian nor Willacy County have an animal control office.

He says the county relies on Cameron County, Raymondville or Weslaco for animal help.

Gonzales adds Willacy County runs on a small budget for animal pick-up services and will look at what can be done for next year's budget.

Rodriguez hopes the dog problem will be solved soon.

Gonzales advises despite the county being short-staffed, anyone experiencing the dog issue can file a formal complaint through their precinct constable.

He says the constable will pick up aggressive dogs and take them to a shelter in Cameron County, Raymondville or Weslaco.

Sebastian cannot enact a leash law because there is no city government, he explains.

Gonzales says Sebastian is not considered a city, it is a county colonia. He says a leash law would require owners to restrain their pets when they roam off their property.