Across these 9 counties there are only 70 available kennel spaces for homeless/unwanted pets, and they are available only to dogs located within the formal city limits of these small communities. Jeff Davis and Hudspeth counties have no municipal animal shelter at all. 

OTAT-WTX is based in Marfa, TX and works across hundreds of miles of rugged, remote borderland, often on behalf of pets who are 100 miles away from a veterinarian and 400 miles away from a transport hub. Simple tasks like conducting behavioral assessments or administering vaccine boosters require a full day of time and considerable expense. 

We all go without a lot in this remote place - there’s frequently no cell service, no water, almost no retail, no medical services. Virtually everyone lives off the grid down winding dirt roads. Only a few hardy folks stay through the blistering heat of our long summer. It’s a wild place, full of predation and environmental extremes. Local animals go without a lot too: there’s limited public space for dogs, no boarding facilities/doggy day care, no trainers, no local emergency clinic, and with the exception of Alpine, nowhere to even buy local pet supplies. Human and financial support is very limited. 

All five of Texas’ largest counties are in West Texas. Brewster County - the largest at 500 square miles bigger than the state of Connecticut - has less than 9,000 residents. Presidio County has 5,500 residents. Terrell County has 750 people, total.  Most communities in these counties are just a few hundred far flung folks. There’s not much for local economy and people are generally just making ends meet. It’s not hyperbole to suggest that there may be more pets than people. 

The logistics of running an animal rescue here - particularly when trying to be as gentle as possible on dogs who are typically short on gentle treatment - is incredibly challenging. It all makes this an incredibly compelling place to rescue pets - the rewards are all the sweeter for the effort it takes to achieve them. We appreciate your support!