Dogs neglected, starved
Clovis, NM (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Aug 22, 2009
County: Curry

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Amuel Mason

A 33-year-old Clovis man is accused of dumping two dogs in the county after being warned he was to be charged with animal cruelty.

Curry County Undersheriff Wesley Waller said Amuel Mason was arrested this week following an investigation that began in late August. All three charges the county Sheriff’s Department has filed are felonies.

Mason was released Monday on an $11,000 bond, jail officials said.

He is charged with two counts of cruelty to animals and one count of tampering with evidence, records show.

Aug. 22, Deputy Erica Romero was called to the area of Curry Roads 11 and N for a report of two malnourished pit bulls, Waller said. Romero examined the male and female dogs and found them to be extremely emaciated and covered in ticks.

Waller said the female was lethargic and barely able to stand so Romero took custody of the animals and placed them in the care of a veterinarian.

Waller said Romero learned from Clovis Police Sgt. Roman Romero, her husband, that the Clovis Police Department had an ongoing investigation into animal cruelty involving two similar dogs.

A Clovis police officer had taken a complaint less than 10 hours before on 18th Street regarding two emaciated pit bulls and had warned Mason, their owner, to feed the dogs and seek veterinary care. Mason was also informed criminal charges of cruelty were pending, he said.

Waller said an investigation revealed the dogs Romero took into custody were Mason’s dogs.

Initially, Waller said Mason reported his dogs were dead, and then changed his story. But, “after being confronted with the evidence, Mason advised he could no longer afford to care for the animals and they had escaped from his yard.”

“It is not plausible that these animals traveled 4 miles in 10 hours in the condition they were in,” Waller said.

The male pit bull was treated and released to the Clovis Animal Shelter but later had to be euthanized due to aggression. The female was nursed back to health and has been adopted by a local family, Waller said.

Mason’s contact information could not be located.

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