At about 9 a.m., Phoenix police called emergency-medical technicians from the Humane Society to the 1900 block of West Indian School Road, where they found a 4-year-old Chihuahua lying motionless in a dilapidated chicken coop, said Humane Society spokeswoman Ashliegh Goebel.
A passer-by called 911 at about 6:45 a.m. after noticing the dogs and becoming concerned for the animals' welfare, a Phoenix police spokeswoman said.
According to police, 42-year-old Adrian Montano admitting to owning the dogs and said he put the Chihuahua in the coop and forgot to feed him.
Phoenix police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said Montano appeared to be homeless and was living in the building where the dogs were found. She said he faces four felony counts of animal cruelty and neglect.
"It's a very serious crime," Fortune said. "It's taken very serious. We want to make sure the public is taking care of their animals."
Humane Society EMTs on the scene said they were shocked by the state of the dogs.
“I’ve never seen such a small and innocent dog suffer in such horrible agony,” EMT Valerie Newman said.
After examining the dog from the coop, a trauma team found he was so weak he could barely stand or walk and was unable to keep his head up on his own. The dog’s breathing was labored and slow, and he was “extremely” lethargic, suffering from a high fever, according to a Humane Society statement.
Goebel said the dog showed signs of brain damage consistent with distemper, a deadly virus that affects non-vaccinated dogs and has no cure.
The first dog found was later euthanized, she said.
“It’s frustrating,” Goebel said. “Even though we have the police on our side, it’s not enough.”
No food or water for the animals was found at the scene, she said. Three other Chihuahuas of the same age were found roaming around the property.
EMTs gave water to the dogs, which they drank continuously, Goebel said.
“They just kept drinking and drinking,” she said.
She said the dogs were being kept in isolation at the Humane Society’s Second Chance Animal Trauma Hospital, where the first dog was put to sleep. Blood samples and mouth swabs of the three surviving dogs were sent to the lab to be tested for distemper, Goebel said.
If the tests come back positive, the other three will be put to sleep as well. If negative, the dogs will be evaluated for adoption, Goebel said.
Officers arrested the owner of the dogs at the scene, Goebel said. Phoenix police are continuing to investigate the case.
(AZ Central - July 13, 2016)
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