DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) — A man has been charged with animal cruelty in connection with a video released last week that showed a dog being dumped on the side of a southern Dallas road.
Ramiro Zuniga, 41, was arrested by Dallas police on March 11, 2023. He was charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals for allegedly abandoning a dog in the 9000 block of Teagarden Road on Wednesday.
Investigators linked Zuniga to a video released on Friday by the Dowdy Ferry Animal Commission. The video, apparently captured on March 8, showed a man in a white SUV pull over and let a dog out before driving away. The dog was captured and taken to Dallas Animal Services.
Shortly after the video was released, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) offered a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the man’s arrest.
Police were able to trace Zuniga’s vehicle to his home and executed a search warrant the next morning. He was taken into custody and is being held at the Dallas County Jail.