Man shoots, kills puppy for defecating in yard

Dog owner also arrested for allegedly shooting at suspect

Joe Elliot Ramirez, 37, is accused of shooting and killing a neighbor's puppy after it wandered into the yard outside his South Side home.

SAN ANTONIO – Joe Elliot Ramirez, 37, is accused of shooting and killing a neighbor's puppy after it wandered into the yard outside his South Side home.

San Antonio police officers originally responded to the 200 block of W. Mally on Wednesday to investigate a different shooting. That call involved shots that had been fired at Ramirez, allegedly by his neighbor, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

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However, when they arrived, police also found out that the dog had been shot.

The affidavit stated that Ramirez told officers he was tired of dogs eating food left out for his cats and going to the bathroom in his yard.

He said he tried, at first, to shoo away the puppy. When it wouldn't leave, though, he said he grabbed a shotgun and fired it at the puppy, thinking it contained blanks, the affidavit stated. Instead, he shot and killed the dog, the affidavit stated.

The neighbor who owns the dog, however, told a different story. The affidavit stated that the woman told police she heard an initial shot, followed by the sound of a dog yelping.

The neighbor said when she came out of her house, she saw Ramirez standing over her puppy and shooting it at close range, the affidavit stated.

Ramirez was arrested Thursday on a charge of cruelty to non-livestock.

The affidavit stated that the neighbor also is facing a charge of aggravated assault for allegedly shooting at Ramirez.


About the Author:

Katrina Webber joined KSAT 12 in December 2009. She reports for Good Morning San Antonio. Katrina was born and raised in Queens, NY, but after living in Gulf Coast states for the past decade, she feels right at home in Texas. It's not unusual to find her singing karaoke or leading a song with her church choir when she's not on-air.