BY: ABQ RAW staff
POSTED: 06/22/2023 @ 3:15PM
Michael Lopez, left, and John Lopez, right, was taken into custody by BCSO.
South Valley Albuquerque – The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office investigated a large-scale case of animal cruelty in Albuquerque’s South Valley this week. Deputies and County Animal Welfare officers found a residence with over 50 seriously abused dogs and also an elderly woman on the inside in decrepit conditions.
This week BCSO and the county animal control executed a search warrant at 3501 Camino Alameda SW, after the warrant was served detectives detained two adult males, identified as John Lopez (62) and Mike Lopez (55). The brothers were subsequently charged with extreme animal cruelty (felony) and abuse of a resident their mom. In addition to the Lopez brothers, an elderly woman in poor health, identified as the men’s mother, was also found inside the residence living under horrible conditions similar to the dogs.
PATREON MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL GRAPHIC CRIMINAL COMPLAINT HERE: https://www.patreon.com/posts/84978119
Detectives noted clear signs of neglect, reinforcing the urgent necessity for this operation. Measures have been taken to ensure the woman’s immediate care and ongoing safety.
According to a criminal complaint, some of the dogs were “extremely emaciated” and “walking skeletons.” The backyard area had no water available to the dogs whatsoever. There was no fresh dog food located on the property during the search warrant. The inside of the home had urine and feces in multiple locations on the floor.
At a BCSO press conference, one of the detectives on the case was shocked at what he saw with the animal and elder abuse.
“She (the mother) had very matted hair, and swelling to her legs.Her clothes and the bed she was located on appeared soiled and stained,” the criminal complaint said.
Mike Lopez told investigators that he had power of attorney over his mom. Investigators could not determine if that was true.
Animal control already relocated all of the pit bulls to various shelters across the city. The Lopez brothers were charged with felony animal abuse and abuse of a resident. The property where this all took place was condemned by Bernalillo County.