Joe and Rose Moreno were convicted of misdemeanor animal cruelty in Yuma County Superior Court on Wednesday for the failure to provide medical attention for a starving dog.  Animal control seized the dog from the backyard, of a residence on the 4700 block of 19th Avenue on October 30, 2010.  Joe Moreno was arrested on one misdemeanor and two felony animal cruelty charges* by Yuma police officers that responded to assist animal control.  Rose Moreno was later charged with the same.

The emaciated pitbull, which was an adult male, weighed just 43.5 lbs.  Adult pitbulls should weigh between 70 and 80 lbs.  Given the condition of the dog, he was euthanized shortly after intake for humane reasons.

While the Morenos claimed they could not afford the veterinary care the dog required, a local veterinarian could find no signs of ailment or infection other than extreme malnutrition that appeared to have developed over an extended period of time. 

"I am very disappointed with the outcome of this case." stated HSOY Director of Operations Annette Lagunas. "This was one of the worst cases of animal cruelty and neglect HSOY has seen in a while.  By law, failure to provide veterinary care is animal cruelty and warrants a felony charge.  A lack of  funds is no excuse not to seek veterinary treatment or the humane euthanasia of an animal in a person's care."

We have had multiple cases of pet abandonment in the past couple of weeks that we are asking for any possible leads from the public. 

June 7, 2011   

A puppy was found in a box wrapped in a blue sweater in the parking lot of Four Paws Grooming on the 1100 block of Fortuna Road.  The six to eight month old puppy was left in direct sunlight at around eleven in the morning. The puppy was very sick with and had a 112 degree temperature and passed away later that afternoon.

June 4th, 2011   

21 cats, three mommas and 18 kittens, were left outside the shelter's front gate at approximately 7:20 a.m. in four, closed U-Haul boxes.  Security footage shows a red mini-van backing up to the gate and an older gentleman unloading the boxes.  There have been additional cases of kittens being dropped off in unventilated or poorly ventilated boxes since this incident.  

Trio of baby boy tabbies

Emmett, Wallace and Ethan make up this trio of orange & white tabbies. They come with a message of how important it is to spay and neuter your pets.   In the month of June, we have Adopt-a-Buddy to help us free up space so we can save more lives!  You can get two adoptions for the price of one or a single cat adoption for half off.  However, remember that twice the pet is twice the responsibility. If you're  ready to double the fun in your life, please visit us today!

Perry

Just look at this BIG, handsome boy. Perry is looking for a home just in time to hit the river. Perryis about two years old and like most labs, Perry loves water. He enjoys visiting with families while lounging in the kiddie pool in our bonding area. He also knows how to sit. Perry has been neutered and weighs in at a whooping 75lbs. He is also current with all his shots and has a microchip. Perry is a gorgeous dog who was picked up wandering around the Goodwill store here in Yuma and, unbelievably, no owner's have ever come looking for him. So with his great personality, his stunning looks, we're hoping Perry finds that great family to adopt, love and care for him.

If you're out shopping this weekend, make sure to stop by the Crazy Ice stand in front of the Sam's Club at the Yuma Palms Mall on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The ice will be sold at $1 a huge scoop and all the proceeds will go towards supporting the HSOY!   

Help us inform the community of all the services we offer that benefit all of Yuma's pets with a newsletter sponsorship.

Your $75, $140 or $200 sponsorship will make HSOY's best newsletter yet possible. What better way to show the community that your business supports the Humane Society of Yuma? 5,000 copies will be printed - around 3,000 of which will be mailed to recent adopters and donors - the remaining 2,000 will be distributed around the community through various means. 

Please help us get the word out!