According to information from the Brownwood Police Department, a man from Tennessee was arrested for Cruelty to Non-Livestock after an incident where dogs were left inside a locked, sealed vehicle.

On Friday, July 21, 2023, at approximately 3:35pm, Animal Control Officer Tex Russell was dispatched to the Hendrick Brownwood Medical Center regarding a report of dogs being left inside a vehicle.

Upon arrival, ACO Russell spoke with ER security and learned that at 3:00pm, a citizen left a brown Chihuahua and a black Labrador unattended outside the ER doors.  The animal’s owner was contacted by ER staff to care for the dogs and, when he arrived at their location, he retrieved them and then placed them inside a locked, sealed vehicle.  The vehicle’s engine was turned off when this occurred.

Officer Logan Humphries was dispatched to assist and arrived at approximately 4:00pm.  Contact was made with the dog owner, Benjamin Mark Alley, 65, of Big Sandy, Tennessee.

In the investigation, it was noted that both dogs were left inside a vehicle with all windows rolled up and the engine turned off.  The dogs were inside the vehicle for almost 40 minutes with no relief from the heat.

Alley was arrested for Cruelty to Non-Livestock and transported to the Brown County Jail.  According to online jail records, bond was set at $2,500.

The dogs were released to Animal Control Officer Russell.