- Florida, USA -
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of 46-years-old PATRICIA MARIA VILLADAMIGO and 66-years-old FAUSTINO ALFREDO VALLADARES (both pictured), as a result of an operation dubbed “Operation Rescue Thor.”
In a media release, the sheriff’s office said that on July 31, 2023, deputies, along with Animal Control Officers, launched an investigation at a residence on East McCartney Loop in Inverness, where VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES were alleged to have sixteen dogs and forty chickens and turkeys who were suffering from neglect.
Animal Control investigated the allegations over a four-month period during which VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES were not fully cooperative.
According to the release, all dogs were found to be without current vaccinations, and VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES did not have the required kennel license as mandated by county ordinance for “ownership” of ten or more dogs.
Among the dogs was a 7-year-old male German Shepherd named Thor who was “displaying signs of pain and suffering from a severe ear infection, as well as issues with his hips.”
The sheriff’s office said that VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES “refused to provide treatment for Thor, regardless of being issued a citation and a 24-hour mandate to be treated.”
Not only that, but VILLADAMIGO said animal control officers wouldn't be allowed to check on the well-being of Thor or any of the other animals on the property.
As a result, authorities then got a search warrant which was served last week and arrest warrants for VILLADAMIGO and VALLADARES for one count of felony animal cruelty each.
The search warrant led to the discovery and rescue of eighteen (18) dogs, eleven (11) puppies, and seventy-three (73) varying species of fowl. Sadly, one of the birds was found deceased.
The sheriff’s office said that Thor is finally receiving the medical care he needed.
The evil couple surrendered all the Voiceless Victims to Citrus County Animal Services, where they are being assessed and treated.
In a statement, Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast said: “𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝘾𝙊𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨, 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙧, 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙢 𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙬𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩. 𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙑𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙜𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨. 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝘾𝙊𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨, 𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨.”
VILLADAMIGO is charged with felony animal cruelty, resisting arrest without violence, and obstruction of a search warrant.
VALLADARES is only facing felony animal cruelty.
Disclaimer: This story is sourced from a press release by the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office. Link included.
Mugshots provided to Voice For Us by the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.
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