By the first week of February, the Dallas District Attorney’s Office will have its first full-time assistant district attorney dedicated to prosecuting criminal acts of cruelty to animals. By the end of the month, a full-time investigator also will be on board, according to David M. Alex, the felony trial bureau chief.
The idea for an animal-cruelty unit arose about six months ago after he prosecuted a few grueling cases; one involved a burned dog and another involved a cat abandoned inside a wall, says Alex, who will supervise the new unit.
