Driver spots dog hanging by chain, helps rescue her
SANDOVAL COUNTY, N.M. (KRQE) – She was chained and dangling from a fence in Sandoval County when deputies said a driver pulled over to help rescue the dog before it was too late.
She goes by the name, Taffy.
“I named her Taffy to honor the animal control officer out of Sandoval County that responded without hesitation,” Angela Stell said.
That animal control officer is Officer Tafoya.
“She came to us a few days ago,” Stell said. “A Good Samaritan found her hanging from her chain and choking.”
Last week, a driver passing a home in Sandoval County near 24th Street and Southern found Taffy dangling from a chain.
“She was chained inside of a kennel. So it looks like she jumped out and was hanging over the wall,” Stell said.
The driver called animal control but didn’t stop there.
“They did not hesitate,” Stell said. “They jumped out of their car, unclipped her and got her to the ground.”
She’s now in the care of the non-profit rescue group known as NMDOG. Stell founded the organization more than seven years ago. Volunteers help run the organization that rescue dogs all over the state — dogs that are kept chained, abandoned and abused.
Stell said, Taffy, is one of them.
“You know all in all, as hard as it is to believe, she is one of the lucky ones,” she said.
But Taffy isn’t the only lucky one that’s been rescued in the last month after being chained by her owners.
Narnia, a 3-year-old Husky, was found in Mora County, chained and with a gunshot wound to the back. Narnia is still recovering from her wounds, along with Taffy.
“So many dangers lie while on their chains and hanging themselves is just one of them,” Stell said.
According to Stell, no one has been charged in Narnia’s case because law enforcement doesn’t know who shot her. In Taffy’s case, Sandoval County deputies said they expect her previous owners will be cited for animal cruelty.
Both dogs will eventually be up for adoption. Stell said they are always seeking foster parents for dogs because it helps the organization make room for other dogs in need while they await adoption.