EL PASO, Texas -- The founder of Animal Cruelty Heartline, Jessie Miller said people are calling her agency because no one picks up the phone at Animal Control. She said that is just one of the many problems at the department.

"Why aren't these calls being answered? Why aren't the officers out there? Why are we short people? Why are these animals in the back sick? Why aren't we doing anything?" That's what the person in charge of El Paso's Animal Control should be asking, according to Miller. As the vice chair of the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee, Miller said Animal Control has not improved and she lets city leaders know in an e-mail. She said even something as basic as answering the phone hasn't improved.

"I talked to one of the employees from Animal Control last week. I asked them, 'What's going on with your phone? Why aren't you guys answering?' And he said we don't have enough people."

She said animal cruelty cases are rising because animal control doesn't respond.

"I can tell you that the cruelty cases that are reported are high priority, but there are more serious cruelty allegations than others," said Pat Fowler, the interim deputy director who is replacing the former director Ray Sim.

Fowler said he is in the process of evaluating Animal Control. He said he wants to address the issue with phone calls to Animal Control and he wants fo find out if the department is really understaffed. He even address one of Millers main points in her letter, that the advisory committee is being shut out.

"While I'm here as interim director, no one is going to be shut out. The animal shelter committee is welcome to come down here and talk to me and tour the facility any time they want," said Fowler.