Seven tiny puppies, only about three weeks old, were found stuffed inside a cardboard box and left in a desert area near Fabens, according to El Paso County officials. The dogs were scooped up by animal services officers, then transferred to the City of El Paso Animal Services for treatment and placement while detectives started looking for whoever left them there.
Investigators say they eventually zeroed in on 54-year-old Carlos Flores. He was identified as the suspect in the case and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on April 24 on an animal cruelty charge. His bond was set at $10,000.
How Deputies Say They Cracked the Case
According to KVIA, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office says detectives tied Flores to the box of abandoned puppies and arrested him on April 24. The station reports deputies then booked him into the county detention facility on the animal cruelty allegation.
Timeline and Investigation
As reported by KTSM, county animal welfare officers were first called out on March 26 to the 600 block of NE G Avenue in Fabens after a caller said a box of puppies had been found in a desert area. Officers discovered seven pups, roughly three weeks old, inside the box and took them to the City of El Paso Animal Services for care.
Detectives say community tips helped identify Flores on April 13. Investigators then obtained a warrant, which led to his April 24 arrest.
Local Context
Cases like this do not happen in a vacuum. Abandoned litters add to shelter crowding across the borderland, and local officials, along with nonprofits, have repeatedly pushed spay and neuter programs to cut down on unwanted puppies.
For example, a Las Cruces partnership has been offering free spay/neuter vouchers that local leaders say help reduce surprise litters and ease the strain on regional shelters, as per Hoodline.
Legal Notes
Flores was booked on a charge of cruelty to non‑livestock animals, according to KTSM. The El Paso County Sheriff's Office says it treats animal cruelty investigations as serious offenses and will pursue charges where the evidence supports them.
The case remains under investigation. Authorities have not released additional details about upcoming court dates or hearings. Residents with information are urged to contact the El Paso County Sheriff's Office so detectives can continue to follow up on leads.
