Getting dog owners to comply with rules a frustrating process, Chaparral woman says

Horrible living conditions.

That’s how a Chaparral woman says dogs in her neighborhood are forced to live, and she wants something done about it.

Michelle, who asked ABC-7 not to use her last name, said she is fearful of retaliation.

Michelle has been trying to save dogs in her neighborhood for the past ten years. She says short chains, barely any shelter, no shelter at all and water buckets tipped over are a daily occurrence.

She recently showed ABC-7 dozens of photos on her computer she’s taken of dogs on people’s properties.

Michelle often calls animal control on both the Otero County and Dona Ana County side of Chaparral, notifying them about the poor conditions.

The Chaparral resident told ABC-7 getting dog owners to comply with the rules has been a long and difficult process. She says sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. And in the mean time, she says it’s the dogs that suffer. ABC-7 first spoke with Michelle in 2014.

“Nothing has changed and the people are just coming in in droves as if Chaparral is the place to come in and tie up your dog and stick it out in the back and forget it and treat it like garbage,” Michelle said. “You drive down the street and see house after house all of these dogs tied up all over.”

Michelle says her cries for help are often ignored.

“I have tried to talk to the governor, the commissioners, the mayor, everybody,” she said. “I send them pictures, I send them information, I send them what I’m doing.”

That’s why she says she’s taken it upon her self to fix the problem. In the past, Michelle has approached her neighbors to educate them about treating their animals properly.

Now, she takes pictures of the properties and sends them to animal control. She also contacts animal control when she comes across conditions she believes are inhumane.

Michelle says animal control will respond to the problem, but she wishes the process to help the animals was faster. She also says she wishes there were stricter guidelines in place, like not allowing a dog to be kept on a chain at all.

Spokesman for Dona Ana County Kelly Jameson told ABC-7 the animal control officers also wish there were stricter guidelines, but they are bound to the laws of New Mexico.

Jameson added the county’s animal control division is small, and they’re forced to canvass the entire county, which is sometimes not enough for everyone.

Jameson said the county does do routine outreach projects and door knocks to educate the public. ABC-7 also reached out to Otero County but has not yet heard back.

Meantime, Michelle says she will keep fighting for the animals, hoping that by educating the public, she will make a difference.

“I don’t care about humans in what they think and feel, if I hurt their feelings saying they need a dog house, you know I’m sorry. I see the dog smiling the next day when it’s in a dog house,” she said.