A Las Vegas man with a prior record of animal abuse is back in custody after four dogs tragically died from extreme heat exposure inside his locked vehicle… all while he was allegedly intoxicated and asleep inside his home.
Michael Winkler, 65, was arrested on June 12 and is now facing four felony charges for the alleged willful torture and death of animals, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
The four beloved pets… Snickers, Oakley, Ben, and Angel… were reportedly left trapped inside Winkler’s parked car inside his closed garage for hours. A necropsy confirmed that the dogs likely suffered from heatstroke and suffocation before dying a slow, painful death.
Family members told investigators that Winkler had been “plastered” and forgot the dogs were in the vehicle. His teenage granddaughter, who lives with him, said she returned home just after 1 a.m. on May 14 and noticed fogged windows in the garage. When she looked inside the car, she saw one of the dogs, Angel, slumped in an unusual position in the driver’s seat.
Inside the house, she discovered Winkler naked and heavily intoxicated, unaware of what had occurred.
This devastating incident has ignited widespread outrage across Nevada, reigniting calls for stricter animal cruelty laws and harsher penalties for offenders.
Animal lovers across the country are flooding social media with hashtags like #JusticeForSnickers and #HotCarAwareness, demanding accountability and encouraging awareness of the dangers of leaving pets in vehicles… even for a short time.
With Las Vegas temperatures easily topping 100°F, it takes only minutes for a parked car to turn deadly. Authorities urge pet owners to always double… check vehicles and keep animals indoors during heatwaves.
