SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio police are investigating their own officers after a person was taken into custody and a witness saw that man’s dog was left behind.
Emily Casso took a video of what happened on Sunday afternoon near East Southcross Boulevard and South New Braunfels Avenue. The video has thousands of views and hundreds of shares on Facebook as of Tuesday night.
Casso said she was getting gas when she saw two San Antonio Police Department vehicles and a dog circling around them.
“It wasn’t until I parked that I heard the dog whining, and when I looked, the guy was already in the backseat,” Casso said. “The cop car (left the gas station) and the dog started chasing him, and then the other cop just left.”
She said the dog ran away before she was able to catch him. That’s when she posted her video to social media.
Cecilia Chavez, who runs the Facebook group “210 La Chismosa,” saw the video and reposted it.
“I was like almost in tears,” Chavez said. “I couldn’t believe it, so I shared it immediately.”
By Monday night, she said someone from her Facebook group found the dog. They took the dog in and found him a temporary foster home.
When asked how the dog is doing, Chavez said “he’s decompressing.”
An SAPD spokesperson told KSAT the original call came in for a welfare check, but the department would not release the name of the person taken into custody because of “HIPAA” (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996), which restricts release of medical information.
In a post made to Facebook on Tuesday, SAPD said it is investigating “whether the officers violated policy.”
“SAPD has procedures specific to animal care when their owner is taken into custody, and we take these responsibilities seriously,” the department said. “An investigation into whether the officers violated policy is currently underway. If we determine that policy violations occurred, the officers will be disciplined in accordance with our policies and procedures.”
A spokesperson with Animal Care Services told KSAT their team was not involved in the case.
Casso and Chavez said they did not know the name of the man who was taken into custody by SAPD but hoped to reunite him with the dog soon.
“I do think (SAPD) really does need to take on accountability,” Casso said.
Casso said she also hopes this case serves as a reminder of the importance of safe and responsible pet ownership across the city.
“I got emotional watching that dog,” she said. “I don’t even know how the owner might have felt inside the cop car.”
KSAT met Casso and Chavez at a pickup site for the Spay Neuter Network. Casso is a District 3 Ambassador, working with ACS and SNN to provide free spay/neuter services and affordable access to vaccinations.
“It’s really important that people start normalizing responsible ownership with their pets,” Casso said. “Be responsible, get them fixed and take care of your pets."
If you’re eligible in District 3, you can reach out to Casso to schedule these services.
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