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Case Snapshot
Case ID: 18350
Classification: Kicking/Stomping
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
More cases in Dona Ana County, NM
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5-month-old dog kicked, slammed into bed frame
Las Cruces, NM (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Jul 1, 2011
County: Dona Ana

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available

Alleged: Cody Michael Carmack

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A man who got into an argument with his roommate kicked her 5-month-old dog and then slammed it against a bed frame, police said.

The puppy, a wirehair terrier named Thor, was severely injured and had to have a leg amputated. The 21-year-old woman told police that Thor yelped for an hour.

Cody Michael Carmack, 20, was arrested on suspicion of extreme cruelty to animals. A warrant was issued for his arrest.

When the woman took the puppy and moved into a new apartment, a neighbor noticed that the dog was not using its right rear leg and offered to take ownership of the puppy, police said. A veterinarian determined that the dog had a broken tibia and fibula and that its leg would have to be amputated to save its life.

The puppy underwent surgery on Friday and was expected to be released back to its new owner sometime this week, police said.

Carmack was arrested Monday and booked into Dona Ana County Detention Center. He was held on a cash-only bond set at $5,000.


Case Updates

The first time Richard Hahn, a 38-year old machinist from Las Cruces, laid eyes on Thor, the dog was walking on a clearly broken back leg.

Hahn asked the woman walking the dog what had happened, and she related a story of chilling violence by a household member against the dog that had happened at least a week earlier. She explained that she had not sought treatment for the dog in the week since the incident because she couldn't afford the care.

Hahn, aware that the puppy was in distress, convinced her to allow him to take ownership of the dog. He immediately took the shaggy terrier to a local veterinarian for care.

What Hahn learned at his initial vet visit brought him to tears. The dog was suffering from a broken tibia and fibula. The veterinarian concluded the leg could not be saved, and an amputation just below the hip was performed. While Thor was under the anesthetic, the veterinarian also neutered him. Hahn absorbed the veterinary bills and brought Thor home to his apartment in central Las Cruces.

"I wish we could have saved his leg," said Hahn. "I am a machinist and I wondered if I could have built him a brace or something, but amputation was the only real option."

Jess Williams and Rachel Schneider of the Doña Ana County Humane Society visited Thor and Hahn on Saturday. While the humans talked, Thor - his head encased in a plastic cone to keep him from licking his stitches - played with a group of children on the balcony. Thor has clearly mastered the art of three-legged ambulation, and was getting around just fine alongside Hahn's other dog, a slightly larger mutt named Nixon.

Asked if he thought Thor has any lingering emotional scars from the brutal attack, Hahn said he thinks the puppy will be just fine in his new home. "He seems really happy," said Hahn. "Even though it's a struggle to get around right now because of the cone, he is trying to jump up on the furniture to be with me."

Hahn said he did what he thought anyone else would do under similar circumstances. "What other option did I have?" Hahn asked. "I just can't believe someone could hurt something this precious and let him continue to suffer. I did what I had to do."

Hahn also offered to partner with the DACHS to use Thor's story in the schools to remind children about our collective obligation to treat every animal in a humane fashion and that pet ownership comes with serious emotional and financial responsibilities.

Meanwhile, the alleged abuser, Cody Michael Carmack, 20, is charged with one count of extreme cruelty to animals.
Source: currentargus.com - Aug 12, 2011
Update posted on Aug 12, 2011 - 2:37PM 

References

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