Man accused of leaving dogs to die in hot car downtown San Antonio, affidavit says

A San Antonio man is accused of leaving three pugs in a parked car downtown for six days in July, where they died.

Robert Ramirez, 34, was arrested on Aug. 12 on a third-degree felony charge of animal cruelty, according to court records.

According to a police affidavit, the dogs’ owner asked Ramirez, a homeless man he had known for about four months, to watch the dogs while he went into the Bexar County Courthouse on July 14. The owner said Ramirez agreed in exchange for beer.

The affidavit says the owner was arrested at the courthouse on an unrelated warrant and never returned to the car. He told police he asked the arresting officer to give Ramirez the keys, but the officer refused.

Surveillance video shows Ramirez getting out of the car and staying in the area before leaving without the dogs, according to the affidavit.

Officers found the dogs on July 20 in a 2012 Mazda 6 in a lot at 212 S. Flores St. The affidavit states that two severely decomposed dogs were inside, with a window lowered less than halfway and no food or water in sight.

San Antonio Animal Care Services initially told KSAT that evidence suggested the dogs died from heat exposure.

Ramirez is being held on a bond of $10,000, according to court records.

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