EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 47-year-old man was arrested and charged with animal cruelty this week after one dog was found dead and three others severely malnourished at an East El Paso County home, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said.
Cirilo Rodriguez, 47, was arrested and was charged with four counts of cruelty to non-livestock animals. He was booked into El Paso County Detention Facility with a total bond set at $22,500.
On Wednesday, Feb. 19, deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a home along the 3800 block of Zachariah Road for an animal welfare check.
When deputies arrived, they found three dogs in latched, secured crates without bedding or mats. Another dog was dead inside a cage, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
The surviving dogs showed “severe signs of physical distress, including malnutrition and lethargy” and had been forced to eat their own feces because of lack of food, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said.
The crates were filled with animal waste and the dogs’ ribs, shoulders and hip bones were visible, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The three surviving dogs were rescued and transported for care but because of the “severity of their condition” ended up having to be euthanized by the City of El Paso Animal Services, the Sheriff’s Office said.
“The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office will not tolerate animal cruelty and is committed to holding individuals accountable for their actions. We will continue to vigorously prosecute those who engage in acts that cause harm to animals or commit related offenses,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
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