- Oklahoma, USA -
On November 4, 2023, the Tulsa Police Department arrested 46-years-old REBECCA RHONDA RUTHERFORD (pictured), owner of Doggy Doodles Grooming.
This arrest is connected to an animal cruelty case for which 41-years-old DIEGO JAIMES ANGEL (also pictured), was arrested in September 2023, when an innocent dog died while being groomed by him at Doggy Doodles Grooming.
The furvictim was a 4-year-old Golden Doodle named Atlas.
It all started on September 1, 2023, when Atlas’ guardian, Mr. Anthony Sinor, took his furbaby to the facility for routine grooming. Mr. Sinor said the family had used the business several times before.
Mr. Sinor told KTUL that that day he received a call from Doggy Doodles Grooming telling him that Atlas had died. “They told me that he had a seizure and was defecating and that they tried CPR and mouth-to-mouth and then they took him to the vet.”
Atlas’ family then learned the heartbreaking truth when they received a call from Tulsa Animal Welfare Pets revealing that Atlas had been killed.
According to News On 6, an employee of Doggy Doodles Grooming reported a coworker had beaten Atlas.
Tulsa Police said that after receiving the alarming report, Tulsa Animal Welfare responded to the location and began an investigation. Officers reviewed the 20-minute video showing the beating from two angles.
News On 6 obtained the video of the incident and published brief moments of various situations. For the first minutes everything seemed ok until Atlas began to resist some drying. At that point, ANGEL can be seen beating him “on and off over another 10 minutes while the dog becomes increasingly agitated.”
Footage then shows that Atlas is taken into another room where he was beaten some more. Eventually, Atlas was dragged off the table, and it appears he was choked by ANGEL.
Investigators said ANGEL suspended Atlas “in a head-high position using a lead on a grooming table.” After the pole holding the lead was adjusted higher, Atlas never moved again on the video. ANGEL stood there watching!
Atlas was murdered in the presence of other employees “working nearby, sometimes within steps of the groomer.”
Tulsa Police said Tulsa Animal Welfare “was able to take possession of the deceased dog and transported the body to the Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostics Laboratory in Stillwater for necropsy.”
On September 7, 2023, Tulsa Animal Welfare, assisted by the Tulsa Police Department, obtained an arrest warrant for ANGEL from the Tulsa County District Court for felony Animal Cruelty charges.
ANGEL was located by the Elk City Police Department at a dog show. He was taken into custody and extradited back to Tulsa County.
As for RUTHEFORD, she is charged with accessory to felony and obstructing and officer. She was released from the Tulsa County Jail less than an hour after her arrest.
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
Mugshots provided to Voice For Us by the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office.
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