SPRING VALLEY, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)– A woman from Spring Valley may be charged with animal cruelty after a video surfaced of her allegedly striking a Chihuahua with a wooden plank, according to officials with the County of San Diego.
The video, captured by a concerned citizen on July 21 in a Spring Valley apartment complex parking lot, appears to show the woman striking the dog with a wooden plank, covering it with a container and then kicking it, according to officials.
The woman was reportedly living out of her vehicle at the time.
According to officials, since the video surfaced, officers from both the County Animal Services and the San Diego Humane Society had attempted to locate the woman.
Law enforcement officers with County Animal Services were able to locate the woman Sunday and take custody of the Chihuahua. The woman was read her Miranda rights and agreed to speak with the officers, according to the report.
Officers said that, while the dog appears to be frightened, it is doing well and recovering as it receives a cruelty exam from the Animal Services veterinary staff.
“This is a clear example of why community vigilance matters,” Vaughn Maurice, director of the San Diego County Animal Services, said in a release. “We are grateful to the citizen who recorded and reported this incident, allowing us to take swift action to protect this animal.”
According to the report, County Animal Services will recommend filing animal cruelty charges against the woman and will submit the citizen’s video to the DA’s office as evidence.
If you witness suspected animal abuse or neglect, County Animal Services encourages you to report it immediately at 619-234-2341.
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