Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: 38 neglected pit bulls seized

38 neglected pit bulls seized
Denver, CO (US)

Incident Date: Monday, May 29, 2006
County: Arapahoe
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Michael Padilla

Case Updates: 2 update(s) available

Case ID: 8835

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: dog (pit-bull)

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The 38 dogs seized earlier this week in southwest Denver will be put to death if they are pit bulls because their owner, Michael Padilla, has a previous conviction for having a pit bull in Denver where the animals are banned. Doug Kelley, director of the Denver animal shelter, said the dogs will be judged by three experts on 56 American Kennel Club standards to determine if each is a pit bull.

"That should be completed by early next week and if they are pit bulls, an administrative hearing will be set for two or three weeks out," Kelley said. "Mr. Padilla can appeal to the hearing officer, who is an attorney who doesn�t live in Denver, but if he determines there is a violation of the city�s ordinance banning pit bulls, they will be euthanized starting with the first day we�re scheduled to put animals down."

Kelley said Padilla was aware of the law because he violated it once before. Being the "first strike," he was allowed to find a home for that dog outside of Denver and signed over ownership to another person. "He received a letter informing him of the law, so when he brought these animals into Denver, he knew it was a second offense and he made the choice to condemn them to death," Kelley said.

The director doesn�t believe any of the dogs have been used for dog fighting, and said some have a very sweet disposition, but the ordinance doesn�t take their temperament into account.

PaKelley said Padilla, 38, apparently breeds the dogs for sale. Padilla faces up to 90 days in jail and/or a $999 fine on each of 38 counts of cruelty to animals, animal neglect and violating Denver's pit bull ban.

Case Updates

The dogs were euthanized Thursday night after Denver Animal Control received a court order to put the dogs down, the shelter�s executive director, Doug Kelley, said Friday.

The dogs� owner, Michael Padilla, entered into a plea agreement that would keep him out of jail. He also signed over ownership of the pooches to the city.

"I�d end up going to jail and still not getting the dogs back," Padilla said Friday. "I didn�t have no choice. I got a family to feed and bills to pay. They steam-rolled me."

Kelley said the dogs had to be euthanized because it was Padilla�s second pit bull offense in Denver where the breed is banned.

On May 29, 38 pit bulls owned by Padilla were seized from a home in Denver. Padilla said he was moving from Texas to a new home in Adams County but stopped in Denver to pick up and move his ill mother.

Neighbors complained the dogs were barking and crammed into cages on the property.

Padilla was cited for cruelty to animals, animal neglect and violating Denver�s pit bull ban. The dogs were removed from his care, and two were put down because of illness.

Padilla was also convicted in 2002 for having a pit bull in Denver. At that time, Padilla signed an affidavit promising not to bring pit bulls back into the city. If he did, the dogs may be euthanized, according to the document.

And that�s what happened Thursday, when they were given a fatal dose of sodium barbitol, which costs the city between $30 and $45 a bottle.

"I feel like I let the dogs down," Padilla said. "I feel really guilty. My whole family is sick over it.

"The law needs to be changed. This is ridiculous."

Padilla was given a 90-day suspended jail sentence and a fine of $500, which was also suspended. He�ll be on probation for one year. If he receives anything other than a traffic violation, he�ll be sent to jail, according to the terms of the plea agreement.

Kelley said his employees are shaken up by the loss of the dogs. But he also said that it�s a relief because the dogs were there "way too long."

"This is a really difficult thing for the staff," he said. "It tugs at your emotions. It�s a tough day for everybody."

Padilla disagrees, saying that he believes the city was set on killing his dogs, which were said to have a sweet disposition.

"That�s how sick these people are," he said of the city and its pit bull ordinance. "They were happy to kill my dogs."

Padilla said he�s looking into suing the city.

Source: Rocky Mountain News - July 21, 2006
Update posted on Jul 24, 2006 - 1:11AM

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Padilla has two upcoming hearings - one for him and one for the dogs - on Aug. 7, which is when a hearing officer will issue a final decision on the future of the dogs.

Padilla has a previous conviction for having a pit bull in Denver. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to violating the city's animal ordinance.

When Padilla pleaded guilty four years ago, he signed an affidavit promising not to bring pit bulls back into the city. If he did, the dogs may be euthanized, according to the document.

Doug Kelley, the city's animal control director, said that moving the dogs out of Denver is not possible because it's Padilla's second offense.

The city's ordinance is solely based on breed and not on the dogs' dispositions. But the dogs' lives probably won't be spared, unless a hearing officer finds that they're not pit bulls.

Many of them are sick and confined to kennels. Two of the puppies have already had to be put down because of illness.

Padilla said the animals have not been well-cared for while they've been impounded.

In pictures provided to the Rocky Mountain News, some of the adult dogs look emaciated, showing their ribs through their short coats.

"If that ain't neglect or abuse, then I don't know what is," Padilla said. "But I guess it's OK because they're the city. Even prisoners on death row get better treatment than my dogs."

Kelley said he has brought in the state veterinarian to look at the pooches.

"The bottom line is, the dogs are fine," he said.

Source: Rocky Mountain News - July 20, 2006
Update posted on Jul 20, 2006 - 10:57AM

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38 neglected pit bulls seizedDenver, CO (US)

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38 neglected pit bulls seized
Denver, CO (US)