The City of San Antonio Animal Care Services seized about a dozen dogs that were chained outside in the freezing temperatures at a home on the Northwest Side on Tuesday, January 31.
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San Antonio officials seized about a handful of dogs that were chained outside in this week’s freezing temperatures at a home on the city’s Northwest Side on Tuesday, January 31. The dogs were a mixture of adults and puppies, according to Lisa Norwood, the public information officer for the city’s Animal Care Services.
Norwood told MySA that officers were called about the dogs being kept outside a home in the 3200 block of Heather Hill, near Evers Road and Hillcrest Drive. During cold events, ACS has “zero tolerance” for those who don’t protect their animals from the weather.
“This was a situation that we had to address very quickly,” Norwood said about the dogs that were left in temperatures in the low 30s. “It’s against the law to keep your pets outside when an extreme weather event has been declared. This is something that the owner of these animals should have been aware of, and unfortunately, did not abide by the law and protect their pets.”
ACS obtained a warrant after the owner did not cooperate with officials. The animals were taken to the facilities at ACS, Norwood said. An investigation will follow, as well as a custody hearing, she added.
Residents can report possible animal ordinance violations by calling the city’s 3-1-1 customer service phone line.
A Winter Storm Warning and Winter Weather Advisory are in effect through Thursday morning in San Antonio, according to National Weather Service.