Neighbor calls DeSoto dog's death in heat preventable; owner calls it an unfortunate accident

The death of a dog in Dallas County is now turning into a controversy, getting the attention of thousands of people. 

The dog died in the backyard of a DeSoto home last month during extremely high temperatures, but there's more to this story.

Jaida Grace took a video of her next-door neighbor's dog under a porch painting and another video of the dog appearing to be in distress on the lawn.

"It was breaking my heart," Grace said.

Grace said she often saw the dog, Rocko, outside in triple-digit heat in her DeSoto neighborhood.

"I noticed Rocko was spending a lot of time outside," Grace said. "I work from home, so when I would take my dog out, I would see him in their yard, tied up."

Grace filed a complaint with DeSoto Animal Control. She said they responded the next day, but it was too late.

"He was still outside on his leash, but he was unresponsive. He wasn't moving. He was just laying down. He didn't get up at all," Grace said.

Rocko's owner calls the dog's death, 'An unfortunate accident.' He says Rocko normally had shade on the porch, but on the day he died, his tether got tangled, and he couldn't free himself, eventually passing out from heat exhaustion.

DeSoto Police said they investigated the case and closed it. The owner said he hasn't been charged and had food and water out for Rocko. He said the two-year-old goldendoodle was a rescue and beloved member of the family, whom they rehabilitated after adopting him last year.

Authorities want dog owners to be mindful of laws in the hot Texas Weather. The Texas Safe Outdoor Dogs Act prohibits dog owners from tethering animals with heavy chains and requires them to provide adequate shelter from extreme weather, continuous access to potable water, and sufficient shade.

Grace organized an online petition calling for accountability in Rocko's death. It has more than 17,000 signatures as of Friday.

"We're really just trying to gain awareness so that we can bring attention to Rocko's situation, but also just let people know if they see something, say something," Grace said.

The self-proclaimed dog lover has her own pup, Jaime, a nine-year-old pit bull, and said she's still heartbroken over what happened to Rocko.

"It's been a very traumatizing experience," Grace said. "I think any dog lover can imagine how it must feel to have a dog that you see every day as you're taking your dog out, a dog that you speak to, to just spend all of a sudden no longer be there."

Rocko's owners said they're getting threats and are concerned for their safety. This is their full statement:

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of our beloved Rocko. The statements and photos that have been posted and circulated have been distorted to fit a false narrative that is absolutely not true. To suggest that he was neglected, unloved, or not properly cared for is completely false and deeply hurtful.

"We received Rocko with love and open arms a few months ago as a rescue animal that had been left out in the wild in very bad conditions. We showered him with love, care, and the appropriate medical treatment necessary to restore him to full health and vitality which took, not only a substantial financial investment, but time, energy and emotional investment. Rocko had become a part of our family and was treated as such. We did everything we could to give him a safe, happy, and well-cared-for life.

 "Rocko had been boarded from Aug. 1- 6 while we were away on business. He receives excellent care as well as grooming while there as always when we are away and at his regular scheduled appointments. This reputable animal hospital and grooming facility in Plano has all his records and can attest to these facts. He was not an abused or neglected pet.

"Rocko is at home with almost constant supervision. My wife is at home daily caring for our 2 infant grandchildren and she checks on him when he is outside at times throughout the day. He does not constantly bark, he stays in a well shaded area of our patio with water and food at his side. Rocko is inside our home every evening and night and goes out regularly for potty breaks. He sleeps at my side every night with out fail. On Aug. 7, Rocko unfortunately had gotten tangled up with his leash we believe after being lured away from his normal spot on the patio. He was unable to free himself from the entanglement and overexerted himself in the process and passed out in exhaustion and subsequently died. The neighbor that reported this had our phone number and did not call or text us while witnessing this. We consider this an unfortunate accident that has rocked us to the core. We solicit your prayers as we too grieve his passing."