AUSTIN (KXAN) — A dog and several of her puppies are looking for a new home after they were taken away from a woman charged with animal cruelty.
Ana Berta Ayala-Morales, 44, performed an amateur cesarean section on her dog, Molly, because she couldn’t afford the vet bill, an arrest affidavit said.
Amanda Johnson says Molly is doing better now, but it took awhile for the dog to get back to her old self.
“(it’s) very terrifying to me, I can only imagine how terrifying it was for her,” Johnson said. “I certainly would not want to go through a procedure like that without anesthesia.”
Prosecutors charged Berta Ayala-Morales with a Class C felony for cruelty to a non-livestock animal.
Johnson says animal cruelty cases are more common than most think.
“A lot of times we will have people that are looking to sell the puppies to make money for one reason or another,” she said, “so this kind of thing will happen from time to time.”
Five of Molly’s six puppies lived and are in good health. Johnson said Molly herself is lucky to be alive.
“In my opinion this case was a clear cut animal cruelty case,” she added. “Hopefully we don’t see anything like this anytime soon.”
Two of the five pups are expected to be adopted soon. The other three, as well Molly, are still looking for a loving home.
For information on adopting these dogs you can email ajohnson@emmisaustin.com.
In-Depth:
There are several options for families that need affordable pet health care. Some companies even offer pet health insurance, including the ASPCA.
In Austin there are also low-cost clinics just for pets. Missy McCullough, Executive Director of the Animal Trustees of Austin says her organization performs emergency operations, including C-sections, often. They will work with pet owners to help keep costs down or spread out payments. The Humane Society also has a helpful list for pet owners in need.