The one with maggots, Hubble, was in the worst condition of them all, malnourished and on the verge of death.
"The maggots were essentially eating him from the inside out," said Martina Holguin of the Animal Welfare Coalition Pet Center in Las Vegas.
An anonymous caller contacted animal control to pick up the dogs at a Las Vegas home.
It's believed the dogs spent their entire lives chained up.
"I think they were lawn ornaments and that's what we see very often with chained dogs," said Holguin.
Now police are now investigating the matter as a possible case of animal abuse.
Members of the family living at the home said they found Hubble last week and tried to take care of him, but decided to call animal control because they didn't have the money for medical bills.
The other four dogs belong to the family. They said they only chain them up for a few hours in the day because they don't yet have a fence up.
"Helping animals is my favorite thing. I've had so many animals in my life that I try and help and give to other people to help," said teen Alex Alirez.
"We don't believe in abusing animals," said his sister, teen Alexis Alirez. "We love animals."
The recent dog abuse cases in the county are rallying the community together.
When the rescue group NM Dogs said it needed $6,000 to pay for Hubble's surgery, it got more than $9,000. If he's able to make a full recovery, Hubble will have a second chance at a happy life and go up for adoption.
(KOAT - Sep 10, 2015)
EARLIER:
Las Vegas Woman Settles Lawsuit Against Police
A Las Vegas woman who alleged a police officer dragged her in a dispute over a restraining order has settled a lawsuit against the city.
Panchita Maes Alirez received $8,500 in return for dropping her lawsuit, said her attorney, Stephen Peterson of Taos.
City Attorney Matt Sandoval declined to comment.
Alirez's lawsuit alleged her left shoulder, arm, rib and hand were injured when she was grabbed, dragged and slammed on the hood of her car on Feb. 6, 2005.
Her lawsuit, filed Jan. 19, 2007, said police accused her of violating a restraining order, disorderly conduct and resisting or refusing to obey an officer. The lawsuit said she was found not guilty of resisting an officer and disorderly conduct. It contended no restraining order ever existed.
The lawsuit alleged Officer Joseph Santillanes came to her house and told her she was under arrest. The complaint alleges he dragged her to a car, twisting her left arm and shoulder, then he and Cpl. Gilbert Martinez slammed her head against the hood.
A Las Vegas Police Department report says officers showed up after a neighbor reported Alirez was cursing her and entered her yard. According to the police report, Alirez wouldn't put her arms behind her back to be handcuffed, yelled and wouldn't put her legs inside the police car.
(Albuquerque Journal - Feb 16, 2008)
