Puppy rescued from extreme heat in locked car must go back to owner, court says

An 8-week-old puppy that was rescued from extreme heat in a locked car last weekend will be returned to its owner, the Manor Municipal Court ruled Thursday.

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Manor police, which charged the puppy’s owner with animal cruelty, had hoped to win custody of the dog, named Annabelle, so they could hand her over to an animal shelter.

“The Manor Police Department is extremely saddened and disappointed with the court’s ruling today that ordered the release of ‘Annabelle' to the owner,” police said in a statement. “The Manor Police Department wishes the best for Annabelle and hope she lives a happy and healthy life.”

Annabelle’s owner, 20-year-old Chandler Allen Bullen, will still face a charge of cruelty to a non-livestock animal, which is a Class A misdemeanor.

According to police, Bullen had left his German Shepherd-mix in his car for 30 minutes while he shopped at the Wal-Mart in Manor.

It was 99 degrees outside with a heat index value of 109 at the time, according to data from the National Weather Service.

Police reached through a partially opened sunroof and unlocked the car with a tire iron, an arrest affidavit said. When they retrieved the puppy, they found her infested with fleas and with several lesions, according to police.

Manor police on Thursday said the Austin Animal Center will release Annabelle to her owner upon his payment of their fees.

The owner, police said, had been ordered to appear in court in 30 days with Annabelle and a report providing proof he had taken the dog to a veterinarian.

Cox Media Group