San Antonio’s Animal Problem Ends in Death For One West Side Elderly Man
Last week on the cities west side, an 81 year old man identified by the Medical Examiner as Ramon Najera who died from his injuries following the attack last Friday afternoon. Najera was mauled to death by 2 American Staffordshire Terriers (dogs). The 2 dogs in the attack have been euthanized, along with a 3rd dog, after being involved in the vicious killing that happened last Friday.
A city ACS (Animal Care Services) press release regarding the incident stated, “At least two of the animals have been involved in a pair of confirmed bite cases in the past including one in January of this year and another in September of 2021.” Yet, the dogs were released back to the owner, 31 year old Christian Alexander Moreno who resided in the 2500 block of Depla St., where the attack occurred. Moreno was arrested hours after with felony charges including Attack by Dangerous Dog Resulting in Death (2nd degree felony) and Injury to an Elderly person by Omission or Negligence (State Felony Jail) per the cities press release. One elderly man died. 1 Captain of the Fire Department and 3 civilians were bitten at the scene where they were taken to the hospital to treated and were released.
‘WE URGE YOU’
Animal Care Services also stated within the cities press release, “we strongly urge all pet owners to keep their pets properly secured in their yard.”
There is a strong certainty that Moreno, the owner of the vicious dogs in the killing, was told by authorities after he received his animals back from a previous incident to ‘keep your dogs secured’. Is Animal Care Services ‘urge’ to the community working? No. We need stricter enforcement, not leaving it up to owners, as to wether dogs can roam the streets or not. We do not need to lose an elderly man, who had no recourse to escape this vicious attack, nor do we need to hear of a child attacked on their walk to school. This is all preventable.
FORMER EAST SIDE COUNCILMAN, ALAN WARRICK, FOCUSED ON OVERCOMING D2 ANIMAL PROBLEM
Former east side councilman Alan Warrick had a huge focus on the community’s east side stray animal problem during his time in office. He was not applauded for his efforts as a lot of his own distractions in office overshadowed these initiatives that now prove beneficial for the east side. At one time you could not go for a run or even walk your own dog for fear of stray animals possibly attacking you. Children couldn’t walk to school without be fearful. Warrick kept with the initiative and the community is better and much safer for it today. Other district council members should take note and start focusing on the basic needs of the neighbors you serve. A district shouldn’t have to go through gentrification to be rid of fearful roaming animals.
LOGGED CALLS TO ACS IN LAST 2 WEEKS: NO ACTION
After speaking with community residents, one stated she has her call logs of the multiple times she has contacted 311 and ACS to report stray animals in her west side neighborhood. This area has a large number of stray dogs and cats where cats are being killed by dogs daily and left in residential areas and on owners properties to deal with. She stated, “With a stray dog at every block you’ve got to wonder why they are not picked up, why is ACS not responding to calls?” Residents are calling and being told by ACS that it is a 7-10 business day time frame for ACS to respond to the call. By that time the dog is not at the same address, how is this supposed to work?
‘1-2 DAYS IF DEATH IS INVOLVED’
The resident was told by 311 they could elevate the call if there is death involved with other animals. The caller told the 311 rep about the multiple dead cats in the area and the diseases they bring. The 311 rep responded with, “I can elevate this situation that involves death so it will only be 1-2 days for them to come out to the area and you may also call the police if you feel you are in immediate danger.” The caller wasn’t hopeful as now- 3 weeks later the thing she was the most fearful of has happened. A resident has been mauled to death by dogs.
NEIGHBORS AT ODDS AFTER BRUTAL ATTACK
311 and ACS directed the caller to the police (SAPD) for immediate action if she felt an ‘immediate danger’. Not every neighbor wants lights and sirens pulling up to their home. This leaves a strain on neighbor relations. An anonymous reporting system should be in place for all residents to use to ensure the neighborhood is safe while keeping the reporter anonymous. Neighbors in this neighborhood where the brutal attack occurred last Friday are now at odds.
CITY RESOURCES
Does the city have the resources to fix this problem? One must think of the city’s recycling guy that drives around as the ‘inspector’ on blue recycle day. A city truck drives by and lifts open each blue container ready for pickup to see if you have any unacceptable items (plastic bags etc.). If your container does not pass inspection it receives a sticker letting the resident know that it will not be picked up when the recycling truck comes.
THE BLUE RECYCLING BIN INSPECTOR
If we can drive around to inspect residents’ blue recycling bins, one by one, for unacceptable items then certainly there can be a final solution to ensuring our city is free of roaming/stray dogs or certainly a solution that responds to actual calls. Residents do not want to receive a 7-10 day wait for ACS to respond. There are stray dogs and cats everywhere but there are sides of this city where there is an over abundance of them (usually the underserved districts per normal). This issue should never plague a whole district or side of town as it does now on the west side.
Please continue to report stray animals and/or dangerous animals to 311. Hopefully the system will catch up with the reports it so desperately needs to respond to.
The whole San Antonio community is mourning the loss of a resident by vicious animals. Will this death finally encourage responses by ACS for those who call in reports? We can only hope.
The press release ended reminding residents, “Responsible pet ownership is mandated in the City of San Antonio’s Chapter 5 animal ordinance.The laws can be found at www.saacs.info/AnimalLaws.”
The San Antonio Police Department is investigating this case.
