Crime & Safety

Police Find, Arrest Man Accused of Dumping Injured Dog in Valley Alley

Witnesses identified Carlos Duarte as the man suspected of abandoning the dog now known as "Indy."

A 41-year-old man suspected of dumping a severely injured dog in an alley last year was facing a felony animal cruelty charge today.

Carlos Duarte was arrested on Thursday following an investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department's Animal Cruelty Task Force that led the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office to file the animal cruelty charge against him, police said.

A witness saw Duarte allegedly pull the dog out of the bed of a pickup truck and dump him in a Van Nuys alley around 6:45 p.m. on July 4, according to Los Angeles police.

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A good Samaritan saw the dog and took him to an animal shelter, where an examination determined the canine was dehydrated and had suffered abrasions and burns on both sides of his chest, rear legs and all four paws, police said.

The dog spent four days at the shelter and was then turned over to the New Hope Rescue Team, which named the pooch “Indy,” police said.

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Indy was later taken to the Westlake Village Animal Hospital, where he received seven months of treatment and rehabilitation, according to police.

The dog has since been adopted and is being trained to be a therapy dog, police said.

After obtaining video of the pickup truck, police investigators issued a news release seeking the public's help in identifying the suspect.

“The truck was eventually located and held as evidence,” according to a police statement.

Witnesses later identified Duarte as the man suspected of abandoning the dog, police said.

--City News Service


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