Neglecting sheep
San Francisco, CA (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004
County: San Francisco

Disposition: Not Charged

Person of Interest: Mike Garza

San Francisco Republican candidate Mike Garza might face animal cruelty charges after San Francisco animal control officers seized 13 blackbelly sheep from his Bayview District junkyard Wednesday.

The officers, who spent nearly two hours chasing the sheep around the yard, which was strewn with rotten vegetables and broken glass, said one of the sheep was malnourished. They found it flailing in a deep puddle.

71-year old Garza is defending himself, saying he is a devoted grandfather and animal lover.

The story took another unusual turn Thursday when perennial San Francisco District Attorney contender Bill Fazio decided to take on Garza's case. Garza could face both misdemeanor and felony charges.

Despite the scandal, Garza continues to pound the campaign trail and extol his innocence on the animal cruelty charges.

"I have to buy cheap tequila because we spend all our money on helping animals," Garza said. "If (the government is) going to kick my ass, I won't go down without a fight."

References

• San Mateo County Times

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