One hundred fourteen Chihuahuas were relinquished to animal rescues last Thursday from a residence in Veguita; one animal rescue has coined the event as the “Chi-pocalypse”

Gail Tripp, Socorro County Emergency Manager, said on April 16, Adult Protective Services contacted them about an animal hoarding situation. Jose Gonzalez, Socorro County Animal Control, contacted the dog owners in their home and confirmed there were a large number of dogs.

Tripp, realizing the magnitude of the situation, immediately began reaching out to various animal rescues across New Mexico.

Espanola Humane, Photo Submitted
Charming, one of the dogs rescued received dental work.

Despite facing initial difficulties, she was eventually directed to PACC911, a Phoenix-based animal rescue coalition, which proved to be a crucial turning point in the rescue operation.

“They were able to send an email to several rescues at once which created the operation to remove the dogs,” Tripp said “The owner wanted the dogs removed, he was overwhelmed and agreed it was beyond his scope of being able to deal with the dogs.”
On Thursday morning, 13 people were present to collect the chihuahuas, including the city of Socorro Animal Control, Socorro County Animal Control, and the two rescues, which brought vans to transport them.

“He is actually legally within his right to have the number of dogs he has, by state statute, believe it or not, it’s eleven dogs per acre, and he has fifteen acres,” said Tripp, “Everyone is asking ‘are you citing them?’ We follow state statute. They were not abused and he was within the legal limit.”

She said if any citations are issued, they will be through the Adult Protective Services, if they see fit.

She said six dogs were allowed to be kept by the owners. Five of them who were not spayed or neutered will be fixed this week with funding the county has set aside.

The East Mountain Companion Animal project posted on Facebook they took 61 chihuahuas, 15 of them pregnant.

Within a couple of days, EMCAP was posting photos of some of the new puppies being born in what they called the “Second Chi-apocalypse ”.

According to EMCAP, the Best Friends Animal Society, Animal Humane of New Mexico, Española Humane, Lap Dog Rescue of New Mexico, and Bernalillo County Animal Care and Resource Center also took dogs.

Tripp said it’s important to recognize that rescues need donations to provide services the county and the city lack.

She said hoarding situations can be reported to the Socorro County Emergency Office.

 

 

Jessica Carranza | Editor