City Council approved a new set of fines for people caught abandoning animals in San Antonio in a 10-1 vote Thursday morning.

The vote means people caught abandoning animals in San Antonio could be fined between $500 and $2,000 for a first offense, between $1,000 and $2,000 for a second offense, and $2,000 for a third offense and beyond.

Though abandoning animals is already against state law, Animal Care Services Director Jonathan Gary has said enforcing it when there is no harm to the animal can be difficult.

Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, who tried twice to delay the proposal, was the lone vote against it.

In a statement emailed to news outlets after the vote, Jones said, “it lacked the required due diligence and public engagement.”

The mayor originally had the vote withdrawn from the Sept

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