Authorities arrested a husband and wife Sunday after finding their dog locked in their car when it was 97 degrees outside for more than a half hour while they ate dinner.
Joshua and Nikkie Racquel Handy are charged with animal cruelty.
Officers with the Edinburg Police Department arrived around 5:04 p.m. at 517 E. University Drive in Edinburg in reference to an animal cruelty call. At the scene, they found a large gray pitbull in the backseat of a gray Mazda 5 SUV with no food or water, according to the affidavit.
A witness at the scene told police they noticed the dog locked in a vehicle with the windows rolled up and the vehicle turned off.
The officer at the scene found the owners, Joshua and Nikkie, at a local restaurant, Muelle 37. A waitress at the restaurant told police the couple had been in the restaurant for around 30 to 40 minutes, according to the affidavit.
The couple was booked on July 4 into the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center, where as of early Tuesday afternoon Joshua is currently being held on a $10,000 bond and Nikkie is being held on a $5,000 bond.
