Animal Control Seizes Dogs From Central EP Home

By ABC-7 Reporter/Meteorologist Andrew Chung

EL PASO, Texas — Hours after ABC-7 started investigating a Central El Paso home full of dogs, authorities seized the animals.

Neighbors had been wondering about the dogs for quite some time.

Animal Control spokeswoman Tammy Fonce-Olivas said a total of eight dogs — four adults and four pupppies — were seized on Monday from a home on Fort Boulevard and Piedras.

The dogs’ owner quickly went into his home when ABC-7 cameras showed up and would not come out.

Olivas said recent complaints from neighbors about the dogs prompted Animal Control to visit the home twice this past weekend in an effort to contact the owner. On Monday they finally succeeded in contacting him.

The owner voluntarily gave up six of the eight dogs but refused to surrender the other two until ABC-7 cameras left the scene.

Olivas said the owner eventually did give up the two remaining dogs. Two of the adults appeared to be underweight. Other than that, Olivas said she doesn’t want to speculate on other health problems the dogs might have.

“Right now the owner is receiving four citations- two for no vaccinations and two for no registration. The dogs are microchipped — at least the adult dogs are — the puppies don’t have to be because they’re not at that age where they have to be under our laws. The puppies have to be vaccinated or microchipped once they reach four months of age or older,” she said.

Animal Control was in the process of seeking a court order to seize the dogs, but that was a moot point when the owner volunteered to give them up, Olivas said.

All the dogs will be given a thorough examination before a decision is made on what to do with them. Olivas said the owner wants to keep two of the adult dogs but will have to make a formal request.