Dog dragged behind vehicle
Plano, TX (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Sep 8, 1996
County: Collin
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged:
» Pedro Romero
» unknown minor
On September 8, 1996, a Plano police officer was alerted by a citizen that a man had pulled into a convenience store parking lot with a black chow dog tied to the back of his van. The dog's owner was Pedro Romero, and the driver of the van was Mr. Romero's 15 year old son.
Police said Mr. Romero told investigators that the dog was playing in the front yard and must have hooked itself onto his van before he, his son and some companions went to 7-Eleven early Sunday morning. However,the officer at the scene, Micheal Stom, said the dog had been tied with rope to the bottom rung of the van's rear ladder. The men were seen trying to wrap the dog in a plastic trash bag to dispose of it, and it was then that the officer ordered them to step away from the dog.
"The dog was conscious, he was just laying there bleeding and missing all the skin off his feet and hind legs, you could see the bones and stuff," Officer Stom said. "It was really a bad deal. I've never seen anything like that." The officer said that none of the people in the van seemed surprised that the dog was tethered to the van. According to the arrest affadavit, they were "laughing and dismissed the incident as minor."
The 2 year old dog, which police said was named Homeboy, apparently had been dragged a half mile or so from Mr. Romero's 10th Street home to the 7-Eleven on Avenue K. Homeboy had lost the pads on the bottom of his paws and the tendons and bones of his paws were exposed.
Paula Hernandez, who lives with the Romero family, stated that the dog's injury was an accident. She claims someone had tied the animal to the van at night, thinking it would not be used.
"They think he did it on purpose," she said. "We know that's not true. We love that little dog."
Mr Romero was arrested on September 11, 1996 while his son was cited and ordered to appear in court.
On September 27, 1996 after a four hour long hearing, Plano municipal court judge Jim McCarthy awarded custody of Homeboy to Plano Animal Services. The hearing featured testimony from two veterinarians, including one who said Homeboy had also tested positive for heartworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. Romero did not appeal the decision and was charged with cruelty to animals. It is unknown if Romero was convicted.
In December 1996, after Homeboy's recovery a veterinarian who cared for him was allowed to keep him permanantly. References« TX State Animal Cruelty Map
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