Gabrielle Arsiage/News-Sun
LOVINGTON — A day after one dog was found stabbed multiple times, two more were found in the same area with gunshot wounds to their paws and neck.
The two dogs — named Maddox and Pax by Lovington Animal Control — were found by a county animal control officer on the 4600 block of East Dakota in Lovington with bleeding from their neck, paws, and several other areas.
“The officer who brought in the puppies wasn’t sure what happened. From the injuries on the leg on one of them, he couldn’t tell if they got shot or got into bushes. He was thinking maybe they got shot but wasn’t sure,” LAC Supervisor Laura Brock said. “The county brought in these puppies to our (Lovington’s) shelter from the 4600 block of East Dakota on June 21. … The note sent by officers says, ‘Reporting Party said the dogs showed up to the property. Both dogs looked to have puncture wounds, possibly gunshot wounds.’”
Brock examined the dogs and found both with gunshot wounds to several areas on their bodies.
“When I saw the foot on (Maddox) the black and brown one, he had a pretty large hole on the foot and I thought it was possibly a gunshot wound. The other one, (Pax), he was shot in the chest I couldn’t find an entrance and exit wound on him,” Brock explained. “I contacted Brandy (Brandy Abbott-Ellison, owner of Amazing Grace Pet Rescue) and told her these dogs had been shot and she took them.”
“The dogs came from about a block over where our first dog (the stabbing victim named Tofu) was found,” Ellison said. “The claim is the dogs were found in the county and animal control brought them in. But since I posted the dogs photos on social media I’ve had numerous people reach out and say these dogs were running in their neighborhood — Ave. H … I think the same person could be responsible for both incidents.
“Maddox was shot in his right front ankle and in the paw from the front and broke the top of his paw. Pax was shot in the neck, chest area and it went through and through. His back paw, there an entrance in the top of his foot and exit on the bottom.”
Brock is not sure what happened with Pax and Maddox being shot, but says when a person lives in the county, they are allowed to shoot to kill to protect livestock.
“I understand if you live in the county and you have these large dogs who are coming after your livestock you can shoot, but with these puppies they were sweet, they weren’t feral,” Brock said. “When it’s a real, sweet, friendly puppy, instead of shooting them, try calling them to you. There’s another resort to shooting. When you shoot to wound though you cause the animals to suffer and that is cruel.”
Both Ellison and Brock said cases of animal abuse and neglect are on the rise.
“I think abuse and neglect has gotten worse over the past couple of months,” said Ellison. “Just abuse in general and the dumping. I am getting calls constantly and I am full. With our shelter being closed, the dogs have to stay out on the streets … Lovington needs a shelter and the city needs to step up and build them the shelter that they need.
“Hobbs shelter needs to open. They need to be picking up these strays but also they need staff. The community as a whole needs to be held accountable and change their ways.”
Brock agrees.
“Yes, animal abuse is on the rise. The only incident that I can say is worse than the dog that was stabbed (Tofu) was another dog was stabbed multiple times for protecting his owner,” Brock said. “We are not a dumping ground and neither is the county. That’s not the solution, people need to work with the shelters and get them to a safe environment.
“I can’t put my finger on why abuse is on the rise, but typically when we run into cases like the dog that was stabbed, there is usually an underlying problem. When we do find cases of animal abuse we have to consider too if other individuals living in the home are safe.”
According to Ellison, Maddox and Pax will be flown to Utah where they will be cared for.
Anyone with information about about this incident should contact LPD at 575-396-2811 or LAC Supervisor Laura Brock at 575-396-9329.
