By Kim Hilsenbeck

One recent morning Garlic Creek resident Melissa Phillips found a dog, shivering and scared, on the sidewalk near her house.

She called Robyn Katz, as most neighbors do when animals are in need or in trouble.

“Everyone in my neighborhood knows I am the “go to” for any animal issues,” Katz said in a phone interview Monday. “I am involved in rescue, and did all pro bono animal law work while living in San Antonio.”

This criminal justice teacher at Akins High School — who is a former prosecutor and still a licensed attorney — said everyone has her cell number.

Phillips took the dog into her garage. Then she and a friend of Katz’s took the basset hound to a local vet. He was unhurt and had a microchip, which usually helps reunite owners with lost pets.

Katz picked up the story again.

“It dated back to 2008, when he was brought into Town Lake Animal Shelter as a stray,” she said. 

Town Lake registered him as an eight-year-old basset hound.

“The person who brought him in adopted him the same day, and then (according to the original adopter) brought him to another shelter in the Onion Creek area,” Katz said.

After searching online, posting ads on Craigslist, driving around Buda neighborhoods and talking with people, Katz found someone who said they saw the dog coming from Creekside, with another dog, crossing FM 967. 

“I contacted PAWS Shelter (in Kyle), and they posted a note about Elvis on their site,” Katz said.  “They got a tip that the dog did, in fact, come from Creekside,” she said. “I researched the addresses and phone numbers.”

Some of Katz’s research involved utilizing Facebook. She eventually found the home where the dog apparently lived.

“The owner from Creekside never returned my calls. I then drove over to the person’s house and spoke with her,” she said.

Katz said the woman told her she did not want the dog back.

“She changed her story various times as to how she even got the dog, and even at first said it wasn’t her dog,” Katz said.

The basset hound, which Katz found out was named Elvis, and the other dog got out of the gate from the home in Creekside. Elvis wandered across FM 967 and traveled a few miles. 

It’s unclear where the other dog is at this point.

“And that breaks my heart,” Katz said.

But Katz thinks even though the woman didn’t want him back, the situation turned out in the end, at least for Elvis.

“We posted [on a closed Facebook page about] Garlic Creek about Elvis, and Melissa Phillips held onto him until a new adopter could be found.”

Katz said the whole neighborhood chipped in to help Phillips care for Elvis, providing food, a collar and more.

“He became the Mascot of Garlic Creek! He went to the St. Patty’s Day picnic and stole the hearts of all the kids,” Katz said. 

One neighbor’s son even walks Elvis nearly every day.

According to Katz, another Garlic Creek family, Alejandro and Michelle Garcia, adopted Elvis. They have two other dogs, three cats and three children. Garcia said the family is working on blending Elvis into their lives.

“We fell in love with him,” Michelle Garcia said. “He’s so sweet and kind and loving.”

He is so chill. He loves people. He’s such a blessing. I want the whole world to knowhow awesome he is.”

But all was not rosy right away. 

“The first day was tough, and one of the Garcias’ dogs snapped at Elvis and punctured his ear,” Katz said. 

The family took Elvis to the Kyle Animal Hospital. Katz said that vet, Dr. Guy Matthews, thinks Elvis is younger than 15.

“[The vet] also found a large tumor in his mouth,” she said. 

Matthews removed the tumor. Garcia said his medical journey is not yet over, particularly if the tumor turns out to be cancerous.

“We should get the pathology results back next week,” she said. “He may still need more surgery.”

Garcia said the tumor inside Elvis’s mouth was half the size of her fist. She added that Elvis’ medical bills will be expensive. That first visit with the surgery was $600.

A gofundme account has been set up to help the Garcia’s pay for vet expenses. 

“The Garcias are such loving people, and are going to stick with this ole hound dog no matter what, though,” Katz said.

Garcia said there was little hesitation about bringing Elvis into the family, despite having other animals and three children.

“If I see a need, I’ll do whatever I can to make it work,” she said. 

In a way, she said by taking in Elvis, she and her husband taught their kids a lesson.

“Don’t wait around for others … step up and do the right thing even if it’s out of your comfort zone,” she said.

Follow Elvis on Facebook: Elvis of Garlic Creek