County: Spring Valley woman allegedly abused Chihuahua, may face animal cruelty charges

County law enforcement officers took custody of a “very petite” Chihuahua on Sunday in Spring Valley and questioned its owner as part of an investigation that began last month with a video of the owner allegedly abusing the small dog, officials said Sunday.

The county’s Department of Animal Services said it will recommend to the district attorney’s office that animal cruelty charges be brought against the dog’s owner.

The investigation involving the Chihuahua and its owner began July 21, when a witness recorded a video of a woman striking the dog with a wooden plank and then covering it with a container and kicking the container in the parking lot of a Spring Valley apartment complex, county officials said Sunday.

“This is a clear example of why community vigilance matters,” Vaughn Maurice, director of the county’s Department of Animal Services, said in a statement. “We are grateful to the citizen who recorded and reported this incident, allowing us to take swift action to protect this animal.”

After the witness submitted the video, officers from both the county and the San Diego Humane Society unsuccessfully attempted to locate the woman, who was reportedly living out of her vehicle, officials said. County Animal Services law enforcement officers located her and the Chihuahua on Sunday in Spring Valley.

The officers read the woman her Miranda rights, she agreed to speak with the officers and they later impounded the dog, county officials said. The woman’s name was not released.

The dog later underwent a cruelty exam by veterinary staff from the county. “While the dog appears frightened, medical personnel report that it is doing well and is recovering,” the county said in a statement.

The county said it will submit the video and other evidence to prosecutors and recommend animal cruelty charges

County Animal Services said anyone who witnesses suspected animal abuse or neglect can report it by calling the department at 619-234-2341.