Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dogs' mouths taped shut

Dogs' mouths taped shut
Rochester, MN (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Jun 15, 2006
County: Olmsted
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Rolando Lacusta Ramirez

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 9217

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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Abuse was retaliation against animal's bad behavior

Several tickets have been issued to a Rochester man after an animal control officer said he found dogs with their mouths taped shut.

Rolando Lacusta Ramirez, 63, 1401 City View Court N.E., is charged with three counts of harboring an unlicensed dog in violation of city ordinance and one count of cruelty to animals, in violation of state law, all misdemeanors. He is to appear in Olmsted District Court on June 26.

According to reports attached to the tickets, animal control officer Mark Godbout got a call about several dogs having their mouths taped shut.

He went to the residence on the afternoon of June 15. He said he found dogs in the backyard whining and five small dogs with their mouths taped shut. He said the tape was wrapped around the dogs' mouths several times so the dogs could not open their mouths to drink or pant. Godbout said he was at the same home for the same thing March 23, and he seized a dog then.

Godbout said Ramirez came out and told him he taped the dogs' mouths to keep them from barking. Godbout wrote in his reports that Ramirez told him he could do it because it was not against the law.

Godbout said he tried to explain that dogs must pant to cool themselves because they don't sweat. The animal control officer said Ramirez removed the tape.

Case Updates

A Rochester man was given a stern warning and ordered to do 75 hours community work service after pleading guilty Wednesday to charges of animal cruelty.

Rolando Lacusta Ramirez, 63, admitted he taped shut the mouths of his five dogs.

But he told Judge Kevin Lund that he only did it as a last resort to keep them from barking.

Ramirez was charged with five counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals and five counts of harboring an unlicensed dog in violation of city ordinance.

Under terms of the plea agreement, Assistant City Attorney Pat Alfredson dismissed the unlicensed dog charges.

Lund was told that this wasn't the first time complaints had been lodged with animal control officials about Ramirez taping shut his dogs' mouths.

According to court records, animal control officers were sent to the Ramirez home in March on a similar complaint. Ramirez was told the dogs need to open their mouths to drink and to pant to cool themselves because they don't sweat. In June, animal control officers returned to the Ramirez home after getting more complaints. It was then that the tickets were issued.

Ramirez told Lund he had tried several gadgets to control the dogs' barking without success. Now, he said, he has found a bark-control collar that seems to be working.

Ramirez said he has tried every possible option to get the dogs to quit barking.

"Well, one option is to walk the dogs on a regular basis," the judge said.

Alfredson said that since a story appeared in the Post-Bulletin about the charges on June 21, her office has received many telephone calls from concerned citizens. Ramirez said he has gotten a letter and showed it to the judge, who called it an "anonymous racist letter," which he said doesn't speak well for the community.

Lund sentenced Ramirez to 90 days in jail and stayed execution of that for one year on the condition that Ramirez have no similar conduct. Ramirez also is to do 75 hours of community work service. Law enforcement and animal control officers are authorized to do random searches at Ramirez's home to make sure the dogs are not being abused.

"I just can't believe anyone would treat animals like that. It's just plain and simply wrong," he said, telling Ramirez that he has to find a way to manage the animals in a humane way or find another home for them. "If there are any other complaints of maltreatment, those dogs are out of your house."

Source: Post-Bulletin - July 2006
Update posted on Jul 19, 2006 - 7:18PM

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Post-Bulletin - June 21, 2006

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Dogs' mouths taped shutRochester, MN (US)

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Dogs' mouths taped shut
Rochester, MN (US)