City officials say dog was tranquilized for fear of its roaming near a school

Plainview Animal Control was called out to the 1200 block of Galveston on Monday morning in reference to a pitbull running around a school at the location.

Assistant City Manager Jeff Johnston said the dog the Animal Control officer who responded told him attempts to catch the dog were unsuccessful so a tranquilizer was used.

"While waiting for the tranquilizer to take full effect, a female pulled up to the dog, and lifted the dog into her car," Johnston wrote in an email to The Herald Wednesday morning in response to emails sent Tuesday regarding the incident.

The Herald asked on Tuesday what tranquilizer was used and how much was used but had not received an answer on Wednesday by press time.

Adrian Martinez, the dog's owner, and a friend, Daniel Ramirez, were at City Hall on Monday afternoon searching for a group of Paws Pet Adoption of Plainview supporters seeking to submit a petition asking for the removal of the city's Animal Control manager. Ramirez told the group just after 2 p.m. that the tranquilized dog had been floating in and out of consciousness since the incident that occurred around 9 that morning.

Martinez later said a second dog of his had been taken into custody by Animal Control. On Tuesday morning, Martinez alleged an Animal Control official told him the dog had been shot with a dart full of 2CCs which should have lasted three hours.

The dog, Martinez said, was in and out of consciousness for about 11 to 12 hours after the incident before it recovered.