Andrea Rosebrock 
For one Arizona family, a fun vacation day trip turned into a day or horror, hurt and devastation when they returned home to find their beloved 6 month old puppy, Taco, chopped in half in their yard.
When Humberto Medina and his family to returned from their day at Knotts Berry Farm, he immediately started calling for their little Chihuahua, Taco. What he found when he looked out the kitchen window into his back yard was incomprehensible to him. His little puppy, chopped in half, dead.
“I was looking at him and it didn’t make sense to me,” Medina said of his initial reaction on Saturday afternoon. “I was shaking my head. No, this cannot be Taco.”
Police who were gathering evidence, are sure that this vicious attack was done by a person rather than another animal due to the manner in the way the dog was mutilated. Scraping blood samples, they’re hoping that the puppy may have bitten his attacker and that some of the blood belongs to that person.
“Pets are family for a lot of people, so we do our best for them,” Officer Bob Sunda said as he rolled the swab in the blood. The police taking the crime seriously for that reason and also because too often crimes of abuse to animals are just the first step into the escalation of crimes against people.
“Some people are just malicious,” Sunda said. “It can start with people being malicious to animals.”
The time of the vicious attack is a relatively narrow window. The family left in the morning after making sure the puppy had water and cover, his eldest son was watching the puppy for them. The returned about 3:30 in the afternoon to the gruesome discovery.
Although there are no suspects at this time, this crime is a Class 6 felony.
“I don’t know what kind of person could do this,” Humberto Medina said. He believe the crime may be racially motivated and this is not the first ‘attack’ against him and his family, although this is by far the worst.
UPDATE – 7/23/08
In a strange twist of events, even though it was originally reported that police were sure that this violence was done by a person, they’re now saying that it was done by an animal. No speculation has been put for about what kind of an animal could cleanly cut a little dog in half. But that is what three vets are saying after looking at the pictures of the mutilated little dog.
Some people are guessing that is may have been a wolf, coyote, big cat or another dog but none of those seem too likely to me. All of those would leave puncture wounds and another animal that was feeding would not leave the tiny dog there to be found, even if it were startled. Others have said perhaps a hawk or large prey bird… perhaps. At this point it doesn’t look like were will ever know who or what the real culprit was. I do honestly hope that it was not a person.
This is just incredible but where was the oldest son who was looking after this puppy? Even more important – where were his sons friends?
@Virginia Greenwood-Warner – Virginia, the family was just away for a day trip so the impression I got was that he stopped by a couple of times to check on the puppy, was not there constantly. And if you saw on the video, this is not the first time this family was the victim of harassment either although this goes way beyond the other incidents.
D
I HAVE THE REAL STORY, THE NEIGHBORS ON 2500 EAST SIDE OF WESCOTT DR. HAS COMMITTED A HATE CRIME BEFORE BUT THE VICTIMS HAVE NEVER REPORTED, THE VANDALISM OF SPRAY PAINT AND BROKEN MATERIAL HAS BEEN DONE BY TEENS THAT LIVE NEXT DOOR. THE VICTIMS HAVE NEVER WANTED TO PRESS CHARGES SINCE THEY DON’T WANT TO START TROUBLE BUT NOW THEY HAVE GONE TOO FAR, I HAVE LIVED AROUND THE AREA ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW. I KNOW THE MEDINA FAMILY AND MY HEART GOES OUT TO THEM BUT I KNOW FOR SURE THOSE TEENS KILLED THAT POOR CHIHUAHUA. I DON’T HAVE THEM CAUGHT ON TAPE, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A BLOOD TRAIL LEADING TO THE NEIGHBORS YARD. PLUS! THE VICTIMS ASKED THE TEENS IF THEY HAD SEEM ANYTHING, FIRST WORDS THAT CAME OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS WERE”I DIDN’T DO IT” BEFORE THE HATE CRIME WHENT PUBLIC. I HAVE WALKED MY DOGS AT NIGHT AND SEEN THESE TEENS DOING DUGS AT 1AM! OUTSIDE! I AM ALMOST CERTAIN THOSE TEENS DID IT. POLICE DON’T WANT TO SEARCH THE NEIGBORS YARD I SAY THEY SHOULD.
What sick people out there pets aren’t safe left alone at home any more….. what is the world coming to when a poor little dog is not even safe in it’s home…. my heart goes out to the family as I also have a little Chi and if any was to hurt any of my dogs I’d ripe them apart. Hope they find who has done this and make them pay the low life scum bags….. my prayers are going out for the little doggie Taco….
I am so thankful that you can bring this reality to the public. I know how much it hurts you. I am so very sorry, but I am not that strong. I cannot read this, nor can I even read the comments. Just the heading brought me to tears and VERY nauseated. It brings hate and rage out in me, and I know that is not right. Thank you for helping those that cannot help themselves!!
WHEN THEY FIND OUT WHO DID THIS, THEY NEED TO LEAVE THEM WITH ME FOR 5 MINS.. THAT’S ALL, JUST 5 MINS.
IF IT’S TRUE AND IT TURNS OUT TO BE THE TEENS ON THE BLOCK, THEN THE PARENTS SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE A STIFF PUNISHMENT. SOMETHING PHYSICAL LIKE HARD LABOR ON A ROCK PILE. BET THEY WOULD KEEP THIER KIDS ON A SHORTER LEASH AND USE A THICKER BELT ON THEIR BUTTS.
THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO STAND ON A CORNER AND WEAR A SIGN THAT SAYS “I KILLED TACO”. NOT JUST THE KIDS, THE WHOLE FAMILY.
THIS MAKES ME SICK BECAUSE I HAVE 5 DOGS AND 3 OF THEM ARE CHIHUAHUA’S. ALL ABUSED AND ALL RESCUES.
that makes me sick I wish we could do something to at least let the family know how many people feel their pain. rigth now I set here and just shake me head because things like this is so senseless and heartless have these assholes never losted anyone that they love let it be family or a pet that is a pain that no one ever needs to feel for such a cowardly act……..
It’s situations like this that make me think that the government of Singapore is not all wrong in their practice of flogging certain convicted criminals. There are times when I wish we had that here.