Austin, TX
Citations handed out across Central Texas for leaving animals outside during winter weather
Protecting animals in cold weather
During this week’s cold snap and winter storm, animal protection agencies in our area have been working non-stop to keep pets safe. Sadly, they’ve gotten many calls about people leaving their animals out in the elements.
AUSTIN, Texas – During this week’s cold snap and winter storm, animal protection agencies in our area have been working non-stop to keep pets safe. Sadly, they’ve gotten many calls about people leaving their animals out in the elements.
Citations in San Antonio
What they’re saying:
“It’s sad to say nothing surprises me anymore,” said Lisa Norwood with San Antonio Animal Care Services.
According to the City of San Antonio, they handed out 47 criminal citations on Monday and Tuesday for pets left outside in freezing temperatures. On Wednesday, that number was still going up.
“We’ve actually written so many citations in the last couple of days that they’re still putting those together. I can tell you that it is over 50, probably approaching the 60-70 mark,” said Lisa Norwood.
Citations in Austin
What they’re saying:
In Austin, APD and Animal Protection officers have been busy.
“We’ve seen a lot of calls,” said Austin Animal Protection Officer Amber Harvey.
“I have seen an uptick in the last couple of days,” said Det. Christian Esquivel with the Austin Police Department’s Animal Cruelty Unit.
Thirty animal neglect citations were issued in Austin during the cold snap, with situations running the gamut.
“Dogs being left out without shelter or possibly in a wire crate,” said Harvey. “Or being on chains outside.”
“Animals being left outside on patios at apartment complexes, animals being left outside in the backyard while it’s sleeting, in vehicles,” said Esquivel.
Is it illegal to leave dogs outside?
The backstory:
In 2022, the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act made it illegal in Texas to leave a dog restrained outside, unless it has adequate shelter that protects it from rain, hail, sleet, snow and subfreezing temperatures.
In Austin, like in San Antonio, the city ordinance is even stricter than state law, when it comes to leaving pets out in the cold.
Austin bans animals from being kept in cold vehicles, requires all owners to provide shelter from the cold, and you cannot tether a dog in any weather.
If you break the rules, you could be fined up to $500 per day, or up to $2,000 if there’s criminal negligence involved.
“We had one where we had to convince the dog owner to surrender his dog because it was an ongoing thing. And it was in that bad of a situation,” said Harvey.
What they’re saying:
Generally speaking, animal officers say they try to help owners before giving them a ticket.
“Ultimately, we want to get compliance from the owners,” said Esquivel. “So we’ll try to educate them as best we can.”
“We have crates here we can send people home with. We have blankets, and we have dog houses,” said Harvey.
Bottom line: be prepared and have a plan before the next cold snap.
“The best thing to do is to bring them inside during freezing temperatures,” said Harvey.
If you’re feeling cold outside, your pet probably is, too.
If you are concerned about the safety of an animal, you can make a report by calling 9-1-1, or 3-1-1 in Austin.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s John Krinjak
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas’ highway system dropped two spots since 2025, and now ranks at No. 27 in the country for its cost-effectiveness and overall conditions, according to the Reason Foundation’s 2026 Highway Report.
The report assessed pavement conditions, fatalities, deficient bridges, infrastructure costs and congestion levels across the United States. Texas earned the following rankings:
- 33rd in urban interstate pavement conditions
- 21st in rural interstate pavement conditions
- 39th in urban arterial pavement conditions
- 12th in rural arterial pavement conditions
- 3rd in structurally deficient bridges
- 26th in urban fatality rate
- 42nd in rural fatality rate
- 41st in traffic congestion
“More than 42,000 of the nation’s 618,923 highway bridges, nearly 7%, are still structurally deficient. Arizona, Nevada, and Texas reported the lowest percentages of deficient bridges,” the report said.
The full report can be found online.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Small hail peppered the Austin area as strong thunderstorms moved through Saturday.
A few of the storms dropped rain and up to pea-sized hail in San Marcos, Dripping Springs and the Austin metro area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Williamson County around 8:15 p.m., and then canceled shortly after. However, it was enough for the Two Step Inn music festival in Georgetown to cancel shows for the rest of the evening. Event organizers say the festival will run as planned Sunday.
KXAN’s First Warning Weather team is monitoring the storms. We will update this post as the evening continues.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution unveiled a new monument at the Texas State Cemetery on Saturday, dedicated to Texas Revolutionary War soldiers.
“We must educate every generation about why it is that America grew from a tenuous 13 colonies into the most powerful country in the history of the world,” said Governor Abbott. “This monument here is an enduring testament to the heroes who fought for the freedom that is unique to America.”
The monument was dedicated to 69 soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Texas, according to a press release.
Among those that were honored, Abbott recognized:
- José Santiago Seguín, grandfather of Texas Revolutionary hero Juan Seguín.
- Peter Sides, who fought in the 2nd Battalion of the North Carolina Regiment of the Colonial Army, and was later killed in the 1813 Battle of Medina, fighting for Mexican independence against Spain.
- Antonio Gil Y’Barbo, the founder of Nacogdoches.
- William Sparks, who fought as a mounted rifleman in the American Revolution and later settled in Texas. He had two sons and two grandsons who fought in the Texas Revolution.
“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, which not only gave freedom to the British colonies of North America, but inspired movements for freedom and liberty all over the world,” said TSSAR President Mel Oller. “Texans played a role in the war too, and it’s important to recognize them, and the sacrifices they made for our freedom.”
At the monument unveiling, Abbott was also inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution and received its Silver Good Citizenship Medal.
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