DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines police have charged a suspect with animal neglect and abandonment after allegedly dumping a puppy from a car.
On Oct. 12, Des Moines Animal Services and police officers responded to reports of a puppy that was intentionally dumped from a vehicle on the east side of Des Moines. The vehicle was captured on nearby surveillance video.
After posting photos of the dog as well as the vehicle on social media, Sgt. Paul Parizek said police were able to identify the people inside the car thanks to several tips from Facebook followers.
The puppy was dumped at an apartment complex near the 3500 block of East Douglas Avenue in Des Moines. It showed "numerous signs of neglect," according to police.
46-year-old Raquel Fernandez of Des Moines has been arrested and charged with:
- Animal Neglect with Injury or Death (two counts)
- Animal Abandonment
DMPD said in a release Tuesday that "an additional arrest is expected."
Many people expressed interest online in adopting the puppy after Des Moines police made the initial post.
Local 5 reached out to the Animal Rescue League of Iowa for an update on the puppy's condition.
In a statement, ARL said that "due to the severity of the puppy’s condition, the most compassionate course of action was to humanely end its suffering.”
Des Moines police expect to release additional updates in the coming days.
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