Animal Abuse: Dog thrown to ground, caught on camera - Albuquerque, NM

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Case ID: 18811

Classification: Throwing

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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Dog thrown to ground, caught on camera
Albuquerque, NM (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Nov 8, 2011
County: Bernalillo

Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

A KOB Eyewitness News 4 photographer caught an obvious and shocking case of animal abuse.

We showed the video to police and now they are going after the dog owners.

Videographers Alex Volek and Peter Nicholas were recording autumn scenery at Tingley Beach this Tuesday afternoon when they spotted a video opportunity.

"What drew our attention - it looked like the guy was having fun with his dog. We wanted to shoot it and we noticed that the dogs were kind of afraid of him so we kept rolling, just kept the camera steady," Volek said.

What they saw next shocked them.

The video shows one of the dogs jumping into the bed of the truck. It appears the owner then grabs the dog by the neck, flips it over his shoulder and slams it to the ground.

The dog then sneaks back into the truck and the owner throws it down to the ground for a second time.

Volek knew he had to do something.

"Got the license plate number, got the info. Took the video and going to file the report and see what happens," Volek said.

KOB called police right away to look at the video.

"I would definitely look and that and investigate that as a charge of animal cruelty," said Albuquerque Police Department Officer Robert Gibbs

Gibbs said he is going after the people responsible.

"I myself am amazed that the dog didn't sustain a broken leg or a displaced hip with the amount of force that it hit the ground," he said.

It wasn't the peaceful autumn scene they were hoping for, but Volek and Nicholas said they were lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

"If it stops a dog from being hurt in the future than it's kind of worth it," said Peter Nicholas.

Officer Gibbs told KOB that police will use the license plate number to track down the owners.

If caught, they will face charges.

If you have any information on this case contact

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Albuquerque Police Department
505-242-COPS or 505-242-2677

Case Updates
KOB Eyewitness News 4 has been getting huge reaction all day about disturbing video we showed you last night of a man slamming a dog to the ground.

Out of mere coincidence, a KOB photographer caught it on camera Tuesday at Tingley Beach.

He jotted down the owner's California license plate number and gave it to police.

Albuquerque Police Department Officer Robert Gibbs tracked the plates to Davis, California, just outside of Sacramento. However, the plates expire next month, which leads Gibbs to believe the owner is living here.

"All I have is a name and that's a shot in the dark and I don't have any pertinent information like a social security number…a date of birth where it could kind of lead me down that road," Gibbs said.

That is where the public can help.

"It's kind of a waiting game now. I would hope that the public would have information on who this person may be or where they live or where they frequent - where they see the truck quite often, that would really help us out," Gibbs said.

Gibbs also said the video is solid evidence of animal abuse.

KOB asked Gibbs if it is worth it for police to be looking for the owner.

"For me it is. I spoke to some of my other fellow officers in the department that had seen it and they were appalled," Gibbs responded.

Officer Gibbs said if the owner is caught, the dog will be taken away.
Source: kob.com - Nov 9, 2011
Update posted on Nov 10, 2011 - 9:33AM
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Dog thrown to ground, caught on cameraAlbuquerque, NM (US)

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Dog thrown to ground, caught on camera
Albuquerque, NM (US)