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Case #14676 Rating: 3.0 out of 5
Dogs neglected, living in filth
Albuquerque, NM (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008
County: Bernalillo
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Crystal Santiago-Griego
» Ted Greigo
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
An Albuquerque couple faces felony charges after officers discovered the squalid conditions they, their child and pets were living in.
Albuquerque police called out on a welfare check found a complete mess in the apartment of Ted and Crystal Griego, near Montgomery and Interstate 25. Inside, they say trash littered the floor and excrement was found throughout the residence.
Officers who deal with calls like this say it was so bad in the apartment, it turned their stomachs.
Police were first called to the complex by neighbors who could smell the apartment through the door, saying they were worried about the two-year-old child inside.
In one of the rooms, police say a fully grown Great Dane was caged inside a two-and-a-half by two-foot crate. Officers think the dog had lived most of its life confined in the box.
"When they removed the animal from the crate, it was full of sores on its legs, its tail, it's snout," an officer said.
A city veterinarian said the dog's legs are deformed and it can barely walk because of the abuse.
People in the complex expressed shock Thursday.
"It's a very sad thing," one resident said. "I didn't think something like this would happen where I live."
The dog is being put up for adoption. The Griegos face felony animal cruelty charges. Their two-year-old boy is now staying with his grandma and is reported to be okay.
Case UpdatesAn Albuquerque city employee has pleaded guilty to keeping her Great Dane locked up in a cage so small it left the animal badly deformed and barely able to walk.
Crystal Santiago-Griego, 26, was a city bus driver at the time of her arrest and was fired soon after. On Thursday she pleaded guilty in District Court.
District Judge Charles Brown sentenced Santiago-Griego to 280 hours of community service in local animal shelters.
Heather Ferguson of Animal Protection of New Mexico told KRQE News 13 that she doesn't agree with the sentence.
"We advocate that they're not put back in a situation where they're given a chance to interact with animals," Ferguson said.
Last September animal control officers seized Santiago-Griego's cats, a dog and the badly-deformed Great Dane that had spent most of its life in the cage and could barely walk.
Police said they were overwhelmed by the smell of urine in the apartment of Santiago-Griego and her husband, Ted Griego. Investigators said that the place was so trashed they had to condemn it.
Animal control officers had cited her before for failing to microchip, vaccinate or neuter the Great Dane, which did fit in the cage at the time.
But about seven months later when Santiago-Griego didn't take care of the citation, they went back to her home. That's when they found the owner had continued to keep the Great Dane in the cage even after the dog outgrew it.
News 13 learned an Albuquerque family adopted the Great Dane soon after it was rescued and that the dog is now able to walk.
Ted Griego pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty and must serve 32 hours of community service.
They were both banned from owning animals.
"This is truly someone who has a callous disregard for animals," said Ferguson. | Source: krqe.com - Oct 16, 2009
Update posted on May 1, 2011 - 7:27PM |
There is a new a twist to an extreme animal abuse case in Albuquerque. The city removed a Great Dane from a home that Albuquerque officials said was covered in filth on Wednesday.
A city vet said the dog was likely in a crate for months or even years, with no exercise and little food and water.
Albuquerque police charged Ted Greigo and Crystal Santiago-Griego with extreme animal cruelty.
Action Seven News had the only camera rolling when Santiago-Griego was arrested again.
She said, "It was all a setup."
The city has a different story.
Chief Safety Officer Pete Dinelli said Wednesday, "This morning we received a tip that this woman owns along with her husband, and on that property there may be another dog."
Dinelli said the city deemed the mobile home substandard. A year ago it caught on fire and nobody repaired it. No one is allowed to live in it, including a dog found locked inside the abandoned home.
When asked why Santiago-Griego left the dog without electricity, she responded, "Because my ex burned down the house."
Santiago-Griego works for the city driving vans to transport the disabled.
Transit Director Greg Payne put her on paid administrative leave after learning of the first incident.
Dinelli said, "The city has a professional code of conduct and they are exploring whether or not there are any violations."
Payne fired Santiago-Griego in 2006, alleging she abused the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act and had too many no-shows at work.
She appealed to a personnel hearing officer and got her job back, along with $23,000 in back pay.
She is charged with extreme cruelty to animals, a felony. And a felony conviction could keep her out of any city job.
The dog rescued from the mobile home is doing fine. City vets said it appeared healthy and well fed. It will likely be available for adoption at one of the Albuquerque animal shelters.
The case against Santiago-Griego and Griego is now in the hands of the district attorney.
The mayor is pushing for a full prosecution, but it will be up to the district attorney to decide if there's enough evidence of a crime.
Payne said he expects to make decisions about Santiago-Griego's employment by next week. | Source: KOAT - Oct 3, 2008
Update posted on Oct 6, 2008 - 12:40AM |
References
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