On a scorching Saturday in Golden Valley, a welfare check on a parked pickup turned into an animal-cruelty investigation after deputies say they found 16 cats and five rattlesnakes, some of them already dead, inside the truck on the 5000 block of Highway 68. Mohave County animal-control officers and sheriff’s deputies say they discovered cats in cages, an aquarium-style enclosure and buckets that also held snakes. One cat and three rattlesnakes were found dead at the scene, and the truck’s owner, identified as 76-year-old David Leslie Cox of California, was taken into custody.
What Deputies Say They Found
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, which cites the Mohave County Sheriff's Office, deputies arrived to find multiple cats in the truck bed and more animals inside the cab. They also reported an "aquarium type habitat" and buckets containing both live and dead rattlesnakes, including a baby Mojave green. In total, officers counted 16 cats and five rattlesnakes. One cat and three of the snakes were already dead, FOX 10 reports. Animal-control officers took custody of the surviving animals and opened an animal-cruelty investigation.
Why the Snakes Raise the Stakes
The Mojave rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus), often called the Mojave green, is a highly venomous pit viper native to parts of Arizona and the broader Southwest, according to NatureServe Explorer. Even juvenile snakes carry venom that can be medically significant, which makes handling them risky and complicates the work of first responders dealing with confined or stressed animals.
Heat and Animals: A Dangerous Mix
The American Veterinary Medical Association warns that leaving animals in parked vehicles can become deadly within minutes because interiors heat up rapidly, even when it does not feel unbearably hot outside. Cracking windows does little to slow the temperature spike. The AVMA notes that pets can suffer heatstroke and fatal organ damage in a short time, which helps explain why a welfare check on animals locked in a sunbaked truck drew such a rapid response from deputies and animal-control officers.
Charges and What Comes Next
Mohave County deputies arrested 76-year-old David Leslie Cox and booked him on 22 counts of animal cruelty and one count of felony endangerment, according to FOX 10 Phoenix. Authorities reiterated that they found 16 cats and five rattlesnakes in the vehicle, and that one cat and three of the snakes were dead. Mohave County officials say the investigation remains open and that prosecutors will review the case for potential further action.
Reporting Animal Welfare Concerns
Officials urge anyone who encounters animals in distress in Mohave County to contact local law enforcement or Mohave County Animal Control. The county lists contact information and resources on its main portal at Mohave County. The sheriff's office is also asking anyone with tips or video related to this incident to call its non-emergency line.
