When it comes to tax deductions, there's something to wag about for animal lovers, rescue groups and for people who foster (or are considering) fostering a pet: It's now tax deductible!

As an investigative journalist who helps out in the animal rescue world, I field a lot of questions from people who want to expose poor conditions at their municipal or county shelters. Emails from volunteers concerned about overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, inhumane treatment and even animals who are euthanized painfully or unfairly have filled my inbox over the years.

Dog rescue volunteers and social media posters are hysterical with anger tonight. Hours ago, the City of San Antonio Animal Care Services (ACS) euthanized three different mother dogs housed in its municipal shelter, leaving their pups behind. Nancy Wiggins, an active member of the animal community, writes on one of the dog's Facebook posts, "Three moms in one day pulled away from their babies & senselessly killed. Just too heartbreaking."

Today the mayor of Magnolia, Arkansas is pleading for help and apologizing for a shocking situation revealed in the City's municipal animal control facility. The pictures and video of the dogs found at the shelter tell this story. It's something you have to see, and it's startling.

A miracle is needed for two dogs, who sadly, right now, don't even resemble what a dog should look like. It's a heartbreaking situation. The pair is being held by the City of Rosebud, Texas and unless someone comes forward to help them they will be euthanized on Wednesday, August 27th. And when you read the rest of this story, and see these pictures, you may be stunned.

It all started last week when a concerned Rosebud resident posted this video on Facebook showing two dogs with severe mange, eating food out of some sort of metal contraption. The post said, "My neighbors dogs that the city won't do anything about ... They need to be removed and cared for, but Rosebud has no animal control. If it's the last thing I do I'm going to find someone to help." The video has been shared hundreds of times and posters lit up the comment section with concern.

Angry volunteers furious over a large black Labrador kept out of view at the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter in California contacted this author today. They feared potential adopters walking through the facility would not know, "Blue", was even there and needed a new home. Outraged social media posters worried the dog's unfortunate kennel placement would cost him his life when the clock ticking on his time at the shelter ran out.

Now Blue's future is looking brighter. When this author reached out to the Department of Animal Care and Control of Los Angeles County and the Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, they responded right away.

Volunteers in San Antonio are outraged about two pups they say came into the City's Animal Care Services (ACS) facility covered in clusters of ticks. They say no one from the City removed dozens of the insects from either of the dog's ears before placing them for public viewing on the adoption floor. When the infested dogs, which did not look very "adoptable", were not adopted, they were euthanized.

Shocking photos appeared on Facebook today and are quickly spreading over the internet. The pictures show what appears to be two dead dogs in a kennel next to a live dog in the Kenedy, Texas animal control facility.

As word spread this weekend that the City of San Antonio's mayor, Julian Castro, may be President Barack Obama's nominee to head the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, a new photo taken by a volunteer inside San Antonio's Animal Care Services (ACS) raises more questions about the facility.

Today City of Sinton, Texas officials responded with an explanation about what happened to a mother dog and her five puppies after thousands of outraged people responded to this Facebook post. 

A new allegation of animal mistreatment by the City of San Antonio's "Animal Care Services" is surfacing, and today the City is responding.

Four thousand, eight hundred thirty one. According to our analysis of the City of San Antonio’s own records 4,831 dogs were euthanized by its Animal Care Services department last year. Nearly 2,000 of those dogs were listed in the reports as “healthy".

More complaints are surfacing today about the City of San Antonio's Animal Care Services. Residents sent Watchdog Mary new stories about what they say is shocking shelter mismanagement and miscategorization of dogs.

Last week we told you how the City put more than 4,000 dogs to sleep in 2013 and many people are now calling for big time changes.