Animal control responded Monday to a home in the 500 block of South Arch Street after a complaint was made about the animals' health. Jessica Dougherty, the officer who responded, said she took photos of the three Labrador - Pit bull mix dogs and spoke with the woman and her family.
"All three of them were severely underweight with their ribs, spine and hips are showing," Dougherty said. "They also have little bites around their ears from fleas."
There was water set out for two of the dogs, and there was one dog house in the backyard, she added.
The woman declined to surrender the dogs Monday, which prompted Dougherty to seek a warrant. The dogs were seized Tuesday, and the woman was later arrested on animal cruelty, a misdemeanor.
The Caller-Times typically does not name individuals accused of misdemeanors.
I guess they don't consider misdemeanors "real crimes". Unfortunately, most animal cruelty crimes are misdemeanors. Thankfully, KIII-TV does recognize misdemeanors as REAL crimes and listed the alleged animal abuser as Angelica Rodriguez, 21.
The woman is being held at San Patricio County Jail on three counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals, a Class A misdemeanor. Her bail amount is set at $7,500 or $2,500 per count.
In 2001, House Bill 653 and Senate Bill 1724, commonly known as “Loco’s Law,” made animal cruelty a felony punishable by a $10,000 fine and up to two years in jail, according to SPCA of Texas.
After an initial veterinary visit, the three dogs tested positive for heart worms, hook worms and round worms. One dog is positive for a tick-borne disease.
"All (of that) can be prevented if the owner had taken them for medical care to get their monthly preventative treatment," Dougherty said.
Anyone interested in adopting the dogs after they have been rehabilitated can visit animal control Monday through Friday from 1:30-4 p.m. at 604 North Avenue A in Aransas Pass.
(The Caller - Jan. 26, 2017)
