Southwest Research Institute Leads City’s Roaming Dog Study

Published on October 20, 2026

Advanced machine vision technology will update data on the community’s unrestrained dogs.

SAN ANTONIO (October 20, 2026) — San Antonio Animal Care Services (SAACS) is collaborating with researchers at the internationally renowned Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) to update data about unrestrained dogs in the community.

Using advanced machine vision technology developed and tested at SwRI, the research will update a manual survey conducted in 2019. The resulting data will give the department new insight into areas where roaming dogs are observed and characteristics that may help distinguish between owned dogs and true strays.

San Antonio Animal Care Services Director Jon Gary says understanding what is happening in local neighborhoods is an important step in developing effective, community-based solutions to the city’s roaming-dog issues. “This study gives us another tool to better understand where we are seeing unrestrained dogs while also supporting our broader work to protect the health and safety of people and pets in San Antonio,” said Gary. “Ultimately, this study and the data we get from it will help promote responsible pet care and strengthen community connection.”

Beginning this month, SwRI researchers will survey the same 32 study areas as in the City's 2019 effort using smartphone cameras and automated technology. The efforts will identify dogs and gather information about whether they appear to be owned or truly stray. Because the project uses a sampling methodology, it is not intended to count every unrestrained dog in San Antonio or produce a citywide census. Instead, surveying the same locations studied in 2019 will provide SAACS with updated information from areas where unrestrained dogs have historically been seen.

“We are excited to test this technology and help the City of San Antonio apply real-world solutions to an issue affecting many residents,” said Mike Koets, staff engineer in SwRI’s Intelligent Systems Division.

Field research is expected to take place through December 2026. Following the analysis, SwRI will forward a final report to SAACS summarizing the study findings and data collected.