A Galena Park animal control officer is set to appear in court Wednesday morning on charges of animal cruelty.
Police said Juan Hernandez shot and killed a small puppy, then left the animal's body at the city dump and lied about the incident when the puppy's owner showed up looking for it.
"I felt it was heart-breaking," said Mayte Guerrero, who had adopted the dog.
Guerrero said the puppy, named Perri, escaped from her backyard in February.
A neighbor who found it reportedly gave it to Hernandez that same afternoon. But, instead of taking the puppy to the animal shelter and waiting three days for someone to claim it, officers say Hernandez almost immediately killed it.
"He shot the dog in the head and put it in the dumpster," said Galena Park Police Chief Robert Pruett.
A police investigation led to a grand jury indictment, charging Hernandez with cruelty to animals.
Hernandez reportedly claimed the puppy was sick, but the police chief said it doesn't matter. Law dictates that all euthanizations are to be performed by a licensed vet.
"It is not his job to euthanize or put down an animal under any circumstances," said Pruett.
In response to the incident, Galena Park has reorganized, giving the job of animal control to the police department, and extended the normal waiting period for euthanizations from three to five days.
The city government also decided to buy Guerrero a new puppy, named Susie.
But Guerrero says the gift doesn't change what happened.
"It's never going to change with another dog," she said.
But, somehow, Susie does make life a little easier, Guerrero said.
