Ten newborn puppies were dumped outside the gates of the Laredo Animal Protective Society (LAPS), left exposed in a cardboard box  with nothing but a pee pad between them and the ground. It happened while staff worked just feet away inside the shelter, and right beneath a sign clearly warning: “Dumping animals is illegal.”

This wasn’t an act of rescue. It was abandonment. And under Texas Penal Code § 42.092, it’s a crime — punishable by up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.

The puppies could have been mauled by stray dogs, exposed to illness, or died from dehydration. Instead, they were lucky: a staff member found them in time, and LAPS quickly filed a police report. But this is just one in a string of recent cases. Earlier this year, another litter was found in a cemetery. Every time it happens, LAPS — already stretched thin — is forced to scramble for fosters, food, crates, and vet care.

Enough is enough. Animal abandonment is not just cruel, it’s illegal. The city cannot rely on luck and compassion to carry the burden of basic accountability.

We call on the Laredo Police Department and the City of Laredo Prosecutor’s Office to fully investigate this incident and pursue charges if the person responsible is identified. We also urge the city to invest in public signage, cameras, and a community pet surrender program so people know there are legal, humane alternatives to dumping animals.

LAPS is doing everything it can, finding foster homes, educating the public, and reporting violations. It’s time for the city to match that urgency with real enforcement and support.