At a Glance
- Case Type
- Regulatory Action
- Jurisdiction
- San Antonio, Texas (Bexar County)
- Date
- 2023-03-15
- Status
- Pending
San Antonio city officials moved in March 2023 to overhaul their response to dangerous dog complaints, proposing a shift from civil to criminal enforcement and a new program targeting properties with high volumes of resident complaints, according to Axios San Antonio. The proposals came in the wake of a deadly dog attack that left an elderly man dead and sent three others to the hospital, and were detailed in a memo from City Manager Erik Walsh to the City Council [1].
On Feb. 24, 2023, 81-year-old Ramon Najera was killed when a group of pit bulls escaped from a nearby yard and attacked him and his wife, Janie, as they walked on a San Antonio street [1][2]. The owners of the dogs involved in the attack were arrested, and officials euthanized three dogs [1]. In the nearly three years preceding the attack, neighbors had called 911 on the owner's address 114 times and the city's 311 nonemergency line an additional 42 times, according to the memo obtained by Axios San Antonio [1][4]. The dogs had bitten people previously, but because earlier victims did not file additional paperwork with Animal Care Services, the department said it could not require the owner to take additional safety measures [2].
The centerpiece of Walsh's enforcement changes was a reassignment of citation authority. Animal Care Services would begin issuing criminal citations, rather than civil ones, when a dog was unrestrained and off the owner's property during a bite call response [1][4]. Animal Care Services would also adopt a new quarantine policy to increase capacity for dangerous dogs and bite impoundments, applicable when a bite occurs on the owner's property [4]. As of March 6, 2023, San Antonio had 103 dogs on its dangerous dog roster, of which 43 owners were in compliance with state law, while the owners of the remaining 60 were not, including 45 who were significantly out of compliance and 15 who were missing administrative requirements such as insurance [1]. Animal Care Services began working with municipal courts to schedule compliance hearings for owners of the 45 dogs already deemed dangerous who had failed to meet requirements such as retaining insurance coverage and submitting to annual inspections [2].
The proposed Good Neighbor Program would target homes that see a significant number of 911, 311, and nonemergency calls to police [1]. The program was aimed at addressing nuisance properties where a large number of complaints had been made about the same pet owners [2]. City officials planned to brief council members on the full proposal at an April 5 meeting [1]. The dog owners, Christian Moreno and Abilene Schnieder, faced immediate legal consequences as the reform effort took shape. Both later pleaded guilty to felony charges and were sentenced to prison terms of 18 and 15 years, respectively [2].
The March 2023 proposals marked the beginning of a sustained local enforcement push. San Antonio City Council ultimately approved higher fines for dog owners whose animals repeatedly break loose or bite others, with the highest penalty set at $750 for loose dogs and $2,000 for dog bites on the third and subsequent offenses [3]. A broader legislative response also followed, with San Antonio lawmakers introducing the Ramon Najera Act in the Texas Legislature, aimed at allowing Animal Care Services to investigate dangerous dogs without a victim's sworn affidavit and at increasing penalties for owners [2]. Governor Greg Abbott vetoed the bill, arguing that existing state penalties for irresponsible dog owners were sufficient [2].
References
[1] Axios San Antonio. (2023, March 15). City of San Antonio considers changes after deadly dog attack. https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2023/03/15/san-antonio-changes-fatal-dog-attack
[2] News 4 San Antonio. (2025, October 15). Judge dismisses lawsuit against City of San Antonio over fatal dog attack. https://news4sanantonio.com/news/investigations/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-against-city-of-san-antonio-over-fatal-dog-attack
[3] Texas Public Radio. (2024, December 5). San Antonio City Council approves higher fines, sterilization authority for loose and dangerous dogs. https://www.tpr.org/government-politics/2024-12-05/san-antonio-city-council-approves-higher-fines-sterilization-authority-for-loose-and-dangerous-dogs
[4] KENS 5. (2023, March 15). San Antonio to propose program addressing nuisance dogs following deadly mauling on the west side. https://www.kens5.com/article/news/local/san-antonio-dogs-west-side/273-4345e94c-2959-4717-895e-ea9154cfea08