Burned dog to death
Albuquerque, NM (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Feb 3, 2001
County: Bernalillo

Disposition: Open

Person of Interest: Robert Rodriquez

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Local and national animal welfare groups are banding together to solve an Albuquerque crime in which a dog was reportedly burned to death in a Southeast Heights home.
"I decided these people had to be caught. So I called Crimestoppers and agreed to put up $200 for sure and try to raise the rest to match Crimestoppers' $1,000."
Barbara Tellier, president of Alliance Against Animal Abuse Inc.

Albuquerque police are searching for suspects they say broke into a home in the 300 block of Kathryn Avenue Southeast on Wednesday night. The intruders destroyed nearly everything in the home and set the resident's dog on fire in a bathtub, police say. Police say the woman living in the house had spoken out recently about crack dealers in the neighborhood.

"She felt this was a retaliation against her," said Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman Officer Beth Baland. When officers arrived, they found the dog, named Skip, had been burned to death, and the house had been ransacked, officials said.

"The extent of the damage was phenomenal," Baland said. "Everything that could be broken was broken."

Barbara Tellier, president of Albuquerque's Alliance Against Animal Abuse Inc., was outraged by the animal's death. She has started a reward fund to encourage anyone with information about the suspects to come forward. "I decided these people had to be caught," Tellier said. "So I called Crimestoppers and agreed to put up $200 for sure and try to raise the rest to match Crimestoppers' $1,000."

The Animal Humane Association of New Mexico has donated $1,000 to the fund, Tellier said. The National Humane Society has given $2,500 and Animal Protection of New Mexico has offered $500, she said. "I'm sure there's someone out there who is going to speak out because they want this money," Tellier said.

Extreme cruelty to animals changed in 1999 from a misdemeanor to a fourth-degree felony. Anyone with information on the crime is asked to call Crimestoppers at 843-STOP. All callers remain anonymous. To donate money to the reward fund, call Crimestoppers or the alliance at 821-0393 or send it to Crime Fund, P.O. Box 90601, Albuquerque, 87199.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Crimestoppers
843-STOP

Case Updates

References

• Albuquerque Tribune Newspaper

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