The Cibola County hoarding situation was reported to APNM on the 877-5-HUMANE cruelty hotline. Soon after, another APNM staffer began coordinating personnel and resources for a June 10 raid on the Ramah, NM, area property as a member of the Attorney General’s Animal Cruelty Task Force.

The property owner: 73-year-old Arlene Krippene, had also been in trouble over hoarding in 2003. This KRQE news link provides the initial TV coverage on the case.

Mostly dogs, 93 severely emaciated animals were found on the property called the St. Francis Sanctuary for Animals. The raid team found several carcasses and witnessed one of the dogs suffer a massive seizure, which required a veterinarian to euthanize her on site. Starvation, dehydration and behavioral problems were rampant among the “sanctuary’s” captives. The veterinarian and vet technicians on site were forced to euthanize 70 suffering animals who were too close to death to save.

Twenty-one animals that authorities believed could be helped to survive were removed for in-depth examinations and treatment at Animal Humane New Mexico in Albuquerque, and the Torrance County shelter.

Animal hoarders may have good intentions when they begin to take in homeless animals, but they eventually find themselves in an out-of-control situation, as evidenced by the disastrous situation that authorities encountered on June 10. Hoarding is an illness for which people must get help. Many times, it is up to neighbors or passers-by to report suspected hoarding so that the process of healing has a chance to begin, and so that the animals involved may be humanely cared for.

Charged with 15 counts of extreme animal cruelty, Krippene is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing in Grants on July 28. If the case goes to trial and Krippene is found guilty, the charges against her carry fourth degree felony penalties.

In her role as coordinator for activities of the Attorney General’s Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT), APNM staffer Heather Ferguson arranged for the collaboration in this hoarding raid by the Cibola County Sheriff’s Office, Doña Ana County Animal Control and Sheriff’s Department, City of Albuquerque Animal Control, Laguna Animal Control, Grants Animal Control, and an Albuquerque forensic veterinarian.

Rescued from the Ramah, NM, hoarding site raided on June 10, "Lily" became the living illustration of what happens to dogs in hoarding scenarios.

Hoarding Survivor Becomes Poster Girl

One of the worst-case survivors of the June 10 hoarding situation is a painfully timid female pointer mix who rescuers named Lily. Estimated to be nine years old, Lily weighed only 38 pounds when she arrived at Animal Humane for her intake examination.

Lily’s physical condition when she was rescued illustrates the suffering that hoarding causes. Her skin was stretched taut over sharply jutting hip bones. Her rib cage cast deep shadows on her dull, thinning coat. She’d lost all the fur on her ears, and came very close to losing her second chance at life.

A photo of Lily on the day she was rescued appears on the billboard APNM installed on Interstate 40 at Moriarty in time for the July 4 weekend. APNM hopes that the billboard’s offer of a reward up to $10,000 for information in felony cruelty cases draws a lot of attention on behalf of animals who need humane intervention.*

Hoarding Survivor Becomes Foster Dog

After gaining 11 pounds in two weeks at Animal Humane, the shelter staff determined that the shy, skittish dog would benefit by spending time in a home environment. Enter foster mom and APNM Communications Manager, Monica Garcia, and canine foster siblings Luna and Lucky.

After a week with her foster family, Lily gained another 5 pounds, and some detectible traces of self-confidence.

“Every day, Lily achieves another small personal victory,” states Lily’s foster mom 13 days into having a three-dog household. “Turning on a light no longer makes Lily duck for cover. I look forward to the day when I hear her voice in a bark.”

Click for KRQE’s follow-up coverage on the story.

Help APNM Help More Animals

Expenses incurred by APNM in support of the activities of the Attorney General’s Animal Cruelty Task Force are not reimbursed. APNM receives no funding from any state agency for any of our work. APNM is a 501(c)(3) funded by private donations and grants.

Easing the suffering of animals in New Mexico is big job. And it costs us money. Please do your part to ease suffering by helping APNM help more animals today.

* The information reported to the ACT cruelty hotline must lead to an arrest and conviction of a perpetrator. Information may be reported anonymously, and in English or Spanish.

Local company “Arte de Muertos” is the proud producer of New Mexico’s largest contemporary and traditional folk art show. This two-day show will gather the best of the “Dia de Los Muertos” artisans from all over the southwest, and will truly be an impressive showcase to experience in at the Santa Ana Star Casino in Bernalillo, on July 18-19.

This event celebrates the tradition, wonder and beauty of an annual Mexican and New Mexican custom. In addition to traditional “Dia de Los Muertos” folk art, various other colorful forms of mixed-media-inspired creations will be on display, including shadow boxes, jewelry, wood carvings, ceramics and wind chimes, to name but a few. To encourage exploration of an unseen dimension, there will be professionals in the paranormal and metaphysical fields who will share their experiences. Favorite local award-awinning ghost book author, Antonio Garcez, will be present to autograph his books.

Animal Protection of New Mexico is among the few nonprofit groups who have been invited to have a free outreach booth at this event.

Anyone interested in volunteering to help staff APNM’s outreach booth should contact arlene@apnm.org or call 265-2322 ext. 21. The hours are between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on July 18 and 19. Santa Ana Star Casino is located on Hwy. 550 in Bernalillo.