4-month old puppy dies from starvation
Milwaukee, WI (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Feb 13, 2006
County: Milwaukee

Disposition: Acquitted

Person of Interest: Elias L. Tapia

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

An Oshkosh man could face a prison sentence if convicted of mistreating his pit bull puppy.

Elias L. Tapia, 21, will make an initial court appearance on June 16 on a felony charge of animal mistreatment and misdemeanor counts of obstructing police and intentionally failing to provide food for an animal. Workers at the Oshkosh Area Humane Society dubbed the puppy "Valentine" when Tapia and a roommate turned over the ill and emaciated dog on Feb. 13. The dog had to be put to death.

According to the criminal complaint, the 4-month-old dog had lost about 90 percent of its hair, its eyes were sunken and the dog was underweight to the point where its ribs and spine were visible beneath the skin. The dog also had cuts on its legs and abdomen, some of which were infected. Tapia initially told police that he and his roommate found the dog in poor condition and brought it to the humane society after deciding they couldn't nurse it back to health, the complaint states.

He later acknowledged that the dog was his, and that he didn't have a job to pay for shots or care of a skin condition that led to symptoms including the dog's hair loss. Tapia told police that he initially lied about his relationship to the dog due to fear that he would be considered a dog fighter, the complaint states. Tapia told police the dog wouldn't eat. A veterinarian told officers that the dog's skin condition would have been completely treatable in earlier stages, and that the dog had no sores in its mouth that would have kept it from eating, according to the complaint.

Valentine wasn't the only recent case of animal cruelty. In January, a severely injured pit bull was discovered in the town of Black Wolf. Officials initially thought the dog was the victim of dog fighting because of puncture wounds to her head, feet and body. One of the dog's ears was torn off. In ruling out dog fighting, tests instead showed the dog was the victim of "extreme blunt force trauma to her head, torso and legs," according to the humane society. That case still is under investigation.

Joni Geiger, director of the Oshkosh Area Humane Society, said her staff is seeing animal cruelty more often. She's not certain there's more animal cruelty, but rather that people are taking it more seriously. "Law enforcement is finally recognizing it for what it is, and I think more people are coming forward more often," she said. The humane society recently held workshops for law enforcement regarding the handling of animal cruelty cases. Geiger said they're particularly challenging cases, even with physical evidence, because animals can't tell investigators what happened.

Tapia faces a $10,000 fine and three and a half years of combined prison and extended supervision time if convicted on the felony. He could receive $20,000 in fines and 18 months in jail if convicted on both misdemeanors. Tapia was issued a summons compelling his appearance in court next month.

Case Updates

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