Austin-area Man Left Puppy in Hot Car Because He Didn't Want to Waste Gas, Police Say

Police have arrested a man near Austin after he reportedly left his 8-week-old puppy in his car during a half-hour shopping trip.Chandler Allen Bullen, 20, told police he left his dog Annabelle in the car because he "did not want to waste gas," according to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by obtained by KVUE-TV.Saturday afternoon, police responded to a call about a dog left in a hot car at a Wal-Mart in Manor, about 15 miles northeast of Austin. Officers reported the puppy panting, crying and attempting to hide from the sun under a seat. The pup, Anabelle, was rescued after officers unlocked the car through an opening in the sunroof. She appeared to be in "poor condition," with fleas and lesions on her body, police said.The temperature Saturday was 99 degrees with a heat index of 109, according to the National Weather Service.When Bullen returned to his car, he was arrested on a charge of animal cruelty.Anabelle is being treated at the Austin Animal Center, while Bullen was released from the Travis County Jail after posting $4,000 bond.  Continue reading...