Dog neglect, puppy and chickens seized
Radium Springs, NM (US)Incident Date: Monday, Jun 20, 2005
County: Dona Ana
Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 1 files available
Abuser names unreleased
Doņa Ana County Sheriff's deputies arrested a Radium Springs woman on June 20 in an animal abuse case in which one dog died, but a puppy and several chickens were rescued.
Sheriff's Deputy Natalie Williams said Margarita Moreno, 40, of 12225 Ft. McClain Road in Radium Springs, was arrested on charges of animal cruelty and extreme animal cruelty. Moreno was being held at the Doņa Ana County Detention Center in lieu of a $20,000 bond.
Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor, but extreme animal cruelty is a fourth-degree felony with a possible sentence of 18 months in prison.
Williams said county animal control called the sheriff's department Thursday after an officer responded to a call from Moreno's neighbor.
None of the animals had food or water, and the adult dog, a pit-bull cross, had no shade. The puppy was tied to the porch with an air conditioner hose that allowed it 2 feet to move, and the pit-bull cross was also tied.
"This is pretty common in the county," Williams said of such treatment.
The adult dog was too weak to move, blink or swallow and died before veterinary technicians could treat it, according to the police report.
The animal's body temperature was over 110 degrees, though the normal temperature for dogs is 101 to 102 degrees.
Veterinary technicians at the Doņa Ana County Animal Shelter said heat and dehydration appeared to have caused the adult dog's death, according to the report.
Robyn Gojkovich, criminal investigator with the sheriff's department, said the puppy and the chickens are fine. They are now at the animal shelter.
Williams said Moreno was cited in April for failing to properly care for two dogs, one of which is believed to be the pit-bull cross.
According to the criminal report, the officer left the citation while no one was home and returned five days later because she had not heard if the owners had fixed the situation. She did not see any dogs, but later received a phone call from Moreno's daughter saying one dog did not belong to the family and they had given the pit-bull cross to relatives.
Williams said that anyone who sees a dog that appears to be in poor condition should immediately call animal control because the dog could die in a few minutes. She said officers will determine the severity of the situation.
According to county law, if owners tie dogs, the restraint should be at least 12 feet long and have a device that allows it to swivel on both ends. If a 12-foot chain or rope would allow the dog to cross the property line, the restraint must be at least 8 feet long. References
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