A Grass Valley man has been arrested following a welfare check and a reported altercation between two dogs, as noted by the Nevada County Sheriff's Office in a recent social media post. The individual, identified as Felix Luis Gonzalez Cruz, 48, was found to be keeping his dogs in squalid conditions without basic necessities such as food and water; the incident occurred on Monday at his residence located on Greenhorn Rd. in Grass Valley.
Cruz had a total of eight dogs, two were discovered outside, one was tied up deprived of access to sustenance while the other roamed freely, and inside his home officers found a mother dog with five puppies in an environment reeking of animal waste and rubbish, lacking in proper care, and sadly, one deceased puppy was also found lying amidst the filth, "the composition of the puppy’s body suggested it had been deceased inside the residence for some time" according to the Nevada County Sheriff's Office.
All seven of Cruz's remaining dogs were seized by animal control officers and he was arrested on charges of depriving animals of necessary sustenance, causing needless suffering, and for resisting arrest, the Nevada County Sheriff's Office detailed Cruz is currently facing charges under 597(B)PC for the mistreatment of animals and 148(a)(1)PC for resisting arrest. Sammie's Friends is now caring for the seized dogs with information about fostering or adoption available through their contact number at (530) 471-5041.
The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone suspecting instances of animal abuse to reach out to their Animal Control Division at (530) 265-7036, or to contact non-emergency dispatch at (530) 265-7800, to report animal cruelty, cases of neglect, or for any related concerns, their responsiveness and commitment to animal welfare remain as a cornerstone of the community's shared values and expectancies of compassionate stewardship.
