Deputies rescue 55 pit bulls
By KOAT Web Staff
Click here for updates on this story
SOUTH VALLEY, New Mexico (KOAT) — More than 50 pit bulls and an older woman were rescued from a South Valley home Tuesday night.
The dogs are currently being held at the Bernalillo County Animal Care & Rescue Center.
Meagan Rose, an animal care service officer says there were many signs of abuse.
“There were quite a few that were underweight in various degrees, down to, you know, very extremely emaciated. All really had pretty heavy scarring, which just speaks to the fact that they’re probably having to kind of fight one another for resources, food,” Rose said.
Rose said there were 35 dogs and 20 puppies ranging from a few days old to 2 years old. Some dogs are so malnourished you can see their ribs, while others have small scars.
“The animals were also pretty much just doing what they could to survive. They’re eating their own feces. There was no food found anywhere on the property at all,” she said.
Deputies held a press conference Thursday to discuss what happened when they got to the house.
“The home was in pretty poor condition with the amount of animals that were inside doing damage to the furniture, walls, flooring, heavily soiled feces, urine,” said Sgt. Autumn Neas.
Also living in the home were two brothers, John Lopez and Michael Lopez, along with their older mother.
“Their mother was severely neglected. She had significantly matted hair and was unmedicated for diabetes and dementia,” Neas said.
The animal shelter is now working with rescue organizations and said once the dogs are medically cleared, they will be put up for adoption.
“Animal cruelty, although a crime in and of itself, is more of a precursor crime, and when people are harming animals, they are more likely to harm humans,” Neas said.
John and Michael Lopez were both arrested for one count of extreme animal cruelty and neglect of a resident, according to Det. Kevin Carhart, once the dogs are examined further, the suspects could face up to 55 counts of felony animal cruelty, one for each dog.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
