New Mexico: After four dogs maul woman, two dogs including a Pit Bull, 'disappear' from owner's yard

LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO -- A Valencia County woman was taking a walk in her neighborhood when she was attacked by dogs.

The Sheriff's office confirmed the case Sunday night, and KOB spoke to family and friends about what happened.

KOB also obtained video of the attack. Neighbor Karla Brannan said it shows what happened to 33-year-old Carolyn Lucero early Easter morning. The attack outside Los Lunas left Lucero with injuries and multiple surgeries to try and save her arm.

"She was down on the ground face down and just screaming and asking for help, and there were four dogs on top of her just ... they were just mauling her," Brannan said. "They were growling and they were biting and they were just fighting."

Brannan said she woke up from the noise and ran out to help about 10 minutes after the dogs ran out.

"I found her phone and we called to get somebody to come be with her, and you're just wondering what can I do for this woman," Brannan said.

Brannan called Animal Control. KOB asked the home where the dogs appeared to be coming out from what happened.

OWNER CLAIMS ATTACK DOGS AREN'T HERS

"It's just crazy and ridiculous. These are my only two dogs that we have and the cops came asking too. Where's all the pit bulls at? Asking my husband," said Vanessa Quintana. 

She denied being involved and said her dogs weren’t responsible.

But moments later, Animal Control drove off with the two dogs she said weren't involved. Neighbors believe there are two more dogs out there.

"I saw a pit bull in the backyard yesterday on the chain that's white that was not taken today. And also there was a black-and-white dog that was bloodied that has now disappeared and that came out of her yard too," Brannan said.

Meanwhile, Lucero tries to recover in the hospital.

"Thank God we were able to save her. Thank God," Brannan said.

Animal Control said it's under investigation and they would be doing extra patrols.

(KOB - April 2, 2018)

Earlier:

• New Mexico: Woman whose arm was nearly torn off in horrific dog attack shares her story

New Mexico: Sara Mauter, 31, named in investigation of dogs left to die horrible deaths inside hot vehicle

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- Police say she left dogs for dead and trapped inside an SUV for hours Wednesday. Now, authorities have identified the woman caught on video walking away from that vehicle.

It started with a disturbing discovery near Rehm’s Nursery in northeast Albuquerque, when an employee and a customer noticed a black SUV had been parked near the shop all day.

Inside, were a handful of dead dogs.

The mysterious woman caught on camera leaving that vehicle behind has now been identified by Albuquerque Police Department officials as 31-year-old Sara Mauter, and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.

It was originally reported six dogs were found dead inside the SUV Mauter allegedly abandoned, but according to the warrant, there were five. It also shows Mauter faces five counts of extreme cruelty to animals.

It's not clear why she dumped the dogs or the SUV. The dogs' owner, Annette Rosenow, told KOB she hired Mauter – along with her husband, Shaun – to help transport about a dozen dogs to Texas.

Aside from the dogs left in the SUV, Rosenow says Shaun was driving a gray Dodge van with six other dogs inside.

KOB can confirm five of those dogs were turned over to an animal hospital in northwest Albuquerque, with one still unaccounted for.

DOG BREEDER IN TROUBLE WITH AUTHORITIES AS WELL
Rosenow, a dog breeder, is facing 60 charges in regards to her dogs in Torrance County. KOB video says she was ordered by a judge not to leave the state. It appears what she was possibly doing was hiding her dogs from authorities and planning on claiming to them that she had sold them - when they were being transported to Texas.

For APD, the focus remains on finding Mauter. Police say she and her husband may still be in the area driving a 2018 gray Dodge van with the temporary tag 18T0914.

If you know where Mauter might be, you're asked to call Crimestoppers at (505)843-STOP.

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RIPOFF REPORT FILED AGAINST BREEDER ANNETTE ROSENOW

(KOB - April 6, 2018)

Earlier:

• New Mexico: Six dead dogs found in abandoned vehicle; woman seen on video leaving them to die
• New Mexico: Five dogs connected to group of dead canines safe and in custody

New Mexico: Five dogs connected to group of dead canines safe and in custody

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- Six dead dogs were discovered inside an abandoned SUV Thursday, and now five other dogs connected to them are in the care of Albuquerque Animal Services.

Those five dogs – who reported missing Thursday afternoon – were dropped off alive at an animal hospital in northwest Albuquerque. Animal services say they are being placed in protective custody while they investigate.

The developments come after a breeder Annette Rosenow hired two people to transport 12 dogs to Texas while she faces more than 60 animal violations in Torrance County. 

Police on Friday identified and issued a warrant for the woman (Sara Mauter) who they say left six dogs to die in this black SUV parked near a nursery in northeast Albuquerque.

DOG'S OWNER ALSO IN TROUBLE WITH AUTHORITIES

Those six dogs were part of a larger group. Annette Rosenow, a breeder, said she hired two people on Craigslist to help move 12 dogs from estancia to Texas. On Friday Rosenow said one dog is still missing from that group.

“This is a tragedy; these dogs were not even two years old I had them since puppies,” Rosenow said. “I raised them. They were my babies. This is too much."

Rosenow said she kept more than 30 dogs at a home in Torrance County. KOB has reported that during that time she was slapped with more than 60 animal welfare violations. Those charges stem from failing to license her animals and obtain rabies vaccinations.

“They told me that they we're going to drop the charges,” Rosenow said.

According to documents, Rosenow said she was not allowed to leave the state without court permission. She claims she was granted permission, though KOB couldn't find any evidence of that.

She says her priority now is to get those five dogs back.

"I’m a good dog owner,” she said. “I just made the wrong judgement about these people."

Torrance County Animal Services said those charges against Rosenow have not been dismissed. She is scheduled to be in court April 18

(KOB - April 6, 2018)

Earlier:

• New Mexico: Six dead dogs found in abandoned vehicle; woman seen on video leaving them to die

New Mexico: Six dead dogs found in abandoned vehicle; woman seen on video leaving them to die

Update: The woman in the video has been identified as Sara Mauter.

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO -- Police are doing their best to connect the dots in a mysterious case of six dogs left for dead in an SUV Wednesday morning.

A business near San Mateo and Lomas caught a female suspect on video leaving that SUV behind. Six dogs were alive at 9:30 a.m. when the video was captured. By 4 p.m. when police arrived, it was a different, disturbing story.

"If we had known, you know those windows would have been taken out. We're all dog lovers here,” said Brian McKinsey, an employee at Rehm’s Nursery.

McKinsey said a customer spotted a black SUV parked in the morning and alerted the nursery when it was still there about six hours later when he returned. That customer said something just didn’t feel right. When McKinsey got a closer look, something was indeed very wrong.

"When I looked through the windows I didn't see anything because there were so fogged up, so moisturized," he said.

McKinsey took a closer look and discovered dogs inside the vehicle were dead.

"They were very contorted and livid. Those dogs didn't die well. It was bad," he said. "They were doing anything they could to get out of there from the way they were postured and looking. They didn't just lay down and die."

KOB got a hold of the dogs' owner, Annette Rosenow from Estancia. She said she hired a woman named Sara and a man named Shaun to transport some of her dogs in two vehicles to her new home in Texas.

"I was evicted from my place and I had to be out there by April 2, Monday. So it was in Estancia, New Mexico and I hired several people for the move," Rosenow said.

Note: Breeder Annette Rosenow was in trouble herself with authorities regarding the dogs and has had charges filed against her.

Rosenow gave police a statement for their report. Police say that second vehicle, a gray Dodge van, is still missing as well as five more dogs.

Both people Rosenow said she hired for the move are nowhere to be found. Police want to know if that includes this woman who is facing several counts of animal cruelty.

KOB did get a hold of Shaun earlier over the phone, the man Rosenow said she hired for the transport. He said he and his wife were hired for the job, but says she loves dogs and would never leave them in a hot car.

Shaun claims the dogs in the van were dropped off at a west side shelter. We put a call into local animal welfare to check that out. KOB looked into Rosenow as well. She's facing 60 counts of animal welfare violations in Torrance County.

Again, police are still trying to identify the suspect in that video, so call Crime Stoppers at (505) 842-STOP if you can help.

(KOB - April 5, 2018)

New Mexico: Woman whose arm was nearly torn off in horrific dog attack shares her story

LOS LUNAS, NEW MEXICO -- A woman mauled by four dogs on Sunday in Valencia County is sharing those horrific moments.

Carolyn Lucero said she nearly lost her arm after four dogs attacked her in a neighborhood outside Los Lunas.

"I got by the stop sign and all of a sudden, there were all these dogs," she said.

Video captured on a neighbor's surveillance camera is dark and fuzzy, but it captures the moment Lucero walks along the road and multiple dogs pounce.

"The dog that had me by my arm, I gave up on that one," she said. "I started just fighting the other ones off of me."

She said it was an excruciating 10 minutes that felt like an eternity.

"Screaming for help and nobody would come out," she said. "A car passed by me and didn't stop."

A neighbor nearby heard her screams and ran outside to help.

"I appreciate everything," Lucero said. "I told her she's my guardian angel."

As of Monday, Lucero had a third surgery on her arm. She's been told even after everything, she may lose mobility in that limb.

The Valencia County Sheriff's office is assisting animal control with the investigation. Two dogs have been picked up. Sheriff's officials said animal control is going to file charges against the owner.

Note: A neighbor described one dog clearly as a white Pit Bull, the second dog as a black and white dog covered in blood. Video shows Animal Control removing what appears to be a white Shepherd mix and another smaller dark mixed breed dog. The owner denies owning the Pit Bull and black and white dog despite neighbors saying they were typically chained in the owner's backyard. What likely happened is that her husband drove them off somewhere and is hiding them.

 

 

 

(KOB - April 3, 2018)