LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — One week after 42 puppies were rescued from a home on East Colorado Avenue, Clark County Animal Control released pictures of the puppies inside of homeowner Sandra Fuentes' house in small pens, some covered in feces, others without access to clean food and water.
Animal Rescue groups have been trying to nurse the puppies back to health, but they've been fighting against the deadly and highly contagious Parvo virus.
Diana England, Director of A Home 4 Spot Animal Rescue, said she has gotten a lot of donations to help nurse the 11 dogs her foster group took in back to health, but she needs more help.
She said Parvo recovery is very expensive, and one puppy already lost his battle for life.
"She put all of these dogs at risk," England said of Fuentes, "everybody is at risk. Even us, taking them in puts us at risk. It's just really sad."
Reports from Animal Control said Fuentes told officers she had been taking the puppies from people in the neighborhood who couldn't care for them and then selling them for a profit.
In a hand written statement to Animal Control Officers, Fuentes wrote, "I surrender puppies. What the best for them. Never meant to hurt no one."
"It doesn't take a mental giant to figure out you have 42 puppies," England said, "something is going on."
Fuentes was fined $4,500 for having the puppies, but, as a first time offender, that fine was cut to $2,200.
Animal advocates like Gina Greisen said that's not enough to keep others from doing the same.
"Minimum, those puppies were worth $10,000 to those people," Greisen said, "and that house is just a drop in the bucket."
