Take a drive around Detroit. You’ll see a city in a state of decay, rebirth, and growth. As the city emerges from bankruptcy, careful attention has been paid to the various states Detroit exists in, and much conversation is being had about the challenges this area will face as it progresses forward. It’s hard to consider all the different problems that have arisen, but I feel there is one important issue that has been overlooked in the wider discussion of needed changes for the D.

In your drive around Detroit, you might end up on I-94, as I often do since I commute to work and school. While you travel, it is somewhat likely you will see a deceased dog on the side of the freeway, struck by a vehicle and left to perish. It’s a sad and traumatic sight and I am shocked by how often I have observed it over the last three years. It’s at least once or twice a month, by my rough estimation.

The problem isn’t the freeway. There is a bigger problem here: Detroit has a large feral dog population. This problem is not new. My father-in-law, a lifelong Detroiter, recounted the packs of dogs that would terrorize their neighborhood when he was younger. The dogs would be let loose by their owners, not secured in a sufficient way, or just be lost out on the streets. It’s time for attention to be paid to these dogs.

Other news outlets like Bloomberg and Huffington Post have sensationalized this issue by focusing on inflated numbers of stray dogs. They are effectively putting another black mark on our record and kicking Detroit while it’s down. It’s time for the people here to pay attention to this issue, before another dog becomes a victim of 94, or suffers some other sad malady from living out on the streets. The need is there - whether it’s 500 dogs or 50,000. What will define Detroit’s next chapter will be the heart and compassion of the residents here. The care of these animals is an important part of that.