- New York, USA -
On February 14, 2023, New York State Police made an arrest in the case of a dog who was heartlessly and soullessly abandoned amid freezing temperatures outside the Herkimer County Humane Society on February 2, 2023.
A distressing video posted by the HCHS shows a vehicle described as a dark-colored 2007-2012 first generation Mini Cooper Clubman, pulling into the parking lot of the organization. A male can be seen exiting the vehicle, dumping a dog, and driving off.
The footage goes on to show that the dog ran on to the highway, was struck by a vehicle, and ran off.
The Herkimer County Humane Society published several posts on their Facebook page to keep the community updated and advised that cameras set up by their animal control officers showed many people searching for the dog “in horrible weather conditions with blowing snow and below 0 temperatures.”
Then, on February 3, 2023, HCHS announced that the dog was found seeking shelter under a shrubbery by two staff members.
The dog, a 6-year-old female Pitbull, was aptly named Miracle by the HCHS.
The agency posted pictures of Miracle and said: “It is obvious that she has had many litters and this excessive breeding has led to her body showing the consequences along with lack of vet care. She is now under the care of our veterinarian and when stronger, will undergo mammary surgery and spay. She is having her ears tested for proper diagnoses of her ear infection, positive for Lyme disease and is infested with fleas needing 4 baths so far.”
Police identified 58-years-old PAUL-CARLOS PALENZUELA as the despicable individual who callously abandoned Miracle.
According to CNY Central, police received a tip that a vehicle that matched PALENZUELA’s vehicle description was in the parking lot of a business on Court Street, in the City of Utica.
When Troopers spoke with PALENZUELA, he voluntarily stated that he picked the dog up in Ilion on the evening of February 2, and dropped her off at the Herkimer County Humane Society because he could not care for the dog.
WKTV reports that Cassandra Allen, who works at the HCHS, said: “The problem with that is they dropped her off in the middle of the night right next to a busy highway…if they would have come 20 minutes early, we would have still been in the building. We literally left 20 minutes before they showed up.”
In a press release, police said that PALENZUELA, of Frankfort, is charged with two counts of New York State Agriculture and Markets Law §353 - Overdriving, torturing and injuring animals; failure to provide proper sustenance, a class “A” misdemeanor, and one count of Abandonment of an Animal, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Police said PALENZUELA was issued appearance tickets and is scheduled to appear in the town of German Flatts Court on February 21, 2023, at 3:00 p.m.
Miracle is currently in a foster home. Please, follow her updates on Herkimer County Humane Society’s Facebook page. For those of you who wish and can afford to donate towards the medical care of all the furbabies in the care of HCHS, please click here. Thank you!
I have emailed the spokesperson for the New York State Police and asked whether they are searching for the motorist who ran over Miracle. Surely, with the vehicle lights on, they saw Miracle from the distance, and yet they ran over her without swerving as the video shows.
If I receive a response, I will post an update.
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.
Miracle’s pictures shared from the Herkimer County Humane Society’s Facebook page.
Additional Sources:
Video - Herkimer County Humane Society
Video - Herkimer County Humane Society – February 4, 2023
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Miracle was not afforded a decent life for six years, but hopefully she will now know love & protection with a family who will feed her daily & love on her so often that she will be able to put the past six years behind her. Bless you Miracle & all those who searched until you were found & safe.