San Antonio counts loose dogs in 32 study areas with phone cameras and object detection software
San Antonio Animal Care Services is working with Southwest Research Institute on an automated survey of unrestrained dogs. A cell phone mounted on a vehicle window and paired with object detection and data analysis software will record the street. Automated and human review of the clips will verify whether each detected dog was unrestrained. The same review will determine any human supervision, verify how many dogs were present and assess whether the dog was owned or a stray. The release describes strays as appearing malnourished and skittish. It says healthier and more approachable dogs are likely owned and are classified as roaming. The survey will repeat the city's 2019 count in the same 32 study areas, and field research is expected to run through December 2026. The city says the project is not intended to count every unrestrained dog in San Antonio. SwRI will forward the department a final report with its findings and data.
How to take part
No hearing or comment window is posted. Animal Care Services runs the study with SwRI, and the final report goes to the department.
Where
3 counties. In San Antonio-New Braunfels.
Timeline
- effective
The city and SwRI announce the survey
- Today
How this decision moved
One dated line per check, oldest first. A line that says nothing changed means somebody looked and it had not.
- 2026-11-02
Admitted on the city's release and SwRI's. Field research is expected to run through December 2026, and the final report has not been published.
- 2026-11-05
San Antonio's phone camera count of loose dogs still runs as the city and the institute described it.
- 2026-11-08
San Antonio's loose dog count, phone cameras and object detection across its study areas, still stands as the city planned it.
- 2026-11-11
San Antonio's loose dog count with phone cameras is still underway on the city's stated plan.
The evidence
Every fact above rests on one of these. The words are the source's own.
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is working with the city of San Antonio to conduct an automated surveySouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
The program is using machine vision software paired with cell phone camerasSouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
a cellular phone mounted to a vehicle window with object detection and data analysis softwareSouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
Automated and human review of the video clips will verify that the detected animals were unrestrainedSouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
determine any human supervision, verify the number of dogs present and assess whether the dog was owned or a straySouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
Strays appear to be malnourished and skittish, while dogs that seem healthier and more approachableSouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
are likely owned by local families and are classified as roaming.Southwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
The automated project will recreate a manual survey conducted in 2019Southwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
After conducting research between October and December of 2026Southwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
SwRI will compile a final report with summary data and videos of observed dogsSouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
This study takes a sampling approach, so we are not surveying the entire citySouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
This study gives us another tool to better understand where we are seeing unrestrained dogsSouthwest Research Institute, SwRI applies automation to count unrestrained dogs in San Antonio Primary source, the company · swri.org
San Antonio Animal Care Services (SAACS) is collaborating with researchers at theCity of San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute Leads City's Roaming Dog Study Primary source, official · sa.gov
Published on October 20, 2026City of San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute Leads City's Roaming Dog Study Primary source, official · sa.gov
SwRI researchers will survey the same 32 study areas as in the City's 2019 effortCity of San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute Leads City's Roaming Dog Study Primary source, official · sa.gov
using smartphone cameras and automated technologyCity of San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute Leads City's Roaming Dog Study Primary source, official · sa.gov
Because the project uses a sampling methodology, it is not intended to count every unrestrained dog in San AntonioCity of San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute Leads City's Roaming Dog Study Primary source, official · sa.gov
Field research is expected to take place through December 2026.City of San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute Leads City's Roaming Dog Study Primary source, official · sa.gov
SwRI will forward a final report to SAACS summarizing the study findings and data collected.City of San Antonio, Southwest Research Institute Leads City's Roaming Dog Study Primary source, official · sa.gov
2019 Unrestrained Dog StudyCity of San Antonio Animal Care Services, Statistics Primary source, official · sa.gov
TX|48|029|Bexar County|65000|02411774|San Antonio cityU.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census place by county relationship file for Texas Primary source, official · www2.census.gov
TX|48|091|Comal County|65000|02411774|San Antonio cityU.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census place by county relationship file for Texas Primary source, official · www2.census.gov
TX|48|325|Medina County|65000|02411774|San Antonio cityU.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census place by county relationship file for Texas Primary source, official · www2.census.gov
Questions about this decision
Answered from the record itself. Every answer is assembled from stored fields, so an answer the record has no basis for is left out rather than guessed.
What is this decision?
San Antonio Animal Care Services is working with Southwest Research Institute on an automated survey of unrestrained dogs. A cell phone mounted on a vehicle window and paired with object detection and data analysis software will record the street. Automated and human review of the clips will verify whether each detected dog was unrestrained. The same review will determine any human supervision, verify how many dogs were present and assess whether the dog was owned or a stray. The release describes strays as appearing malnourished and skittish. It says healthier and more approachable dogs are likely owned and are classified as roaming. The survey will repeat the city's 2019 count in the same 32 study areas, and field research is expected to run through December 2026. The city says the project is not intended to count every unrestrained dog in San Antonio. SwRI will forward the department a final report with its findings and data.
Who decides it?
City of San Antonio Animal Care Services decides. The record names the deciding body for every entry it carries.
Can the public take part?
No hearing or comment window is posted. Animal Care Services runs the study with SwRI, and the final report goes to the department. No dated public window is on the record. The deciding body is named and reachable.
Where in Texas does it apply?
It covers Bexar, Comal and Medina Counties in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX area.
Has it been decided?
It has been decided. The dates on the item page carry when.
What happens next?
No future date is on the record. The last dated step on it was effective on October 20th.
When did it start?
The earliest date on its record is October 20th, 2026.
What kind of decision is it?
It is filed under research and science.
What sources back it?
Four sources back it. Four of them are primary.
Is it on the ERCOT grid?
Yes. It sits inside the ERCOT interconnection.
When was it last checked?
Every fact on it was last verified against its source on November 11th, 2026.
Cite this
Texas AI Docket, San Antonio counts loose dogs in 32 study areas with phone cameras and object detection software. Tracked since October 20th, 2026. Last verified November 11th, 2026. https://texasaidocket.com/item/tx-2026-0236/. Reuse permitted under CC BY 4.0 with attribution. The same entry is in the docket JSON as item tx-2026-0236.
Beat
Filed under Research and science, with every other decision on that beat.