Docs: Mercedes man abandons dogs while out of town

MERCEDES, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Mercedes man is facing charges after leaving his dogs without proper care for one week, according to Hidalgo County court documents.

Juan Antonio Garza Castillo, 56, was charged for his involvement of neglecting four dogs at his Mercedes property in late July.

On July 31, a Hidalgo County Deputy responded to the 3800 block of Cheyenne Drive in Mercedes after Castillo's neighbor reported the dogs appeared to be in a state of distress.

According to the document, the neighbor described the dogs as "very thin and starving" with no water.

Body camera footage from the deputy showed the dogs with their ribcage showing little to no fat and indication of starvation and lack of water, the document adds.

Investigators with the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office made contact with the owners of the residence who were later identified as Castillo and 34-year-old woman.

The document states Castillo and the woman admitted to leaving to Houston for one week and abandoning their four dogs without proper care.

Documents did not reveal the relationship between Castillo and the woman.

All four dogs were evaluated at Palm Valley Animal Society, showing the dogs were thin, had bloated abdominals and hair loss with possible worm infestation.

Castillo was arrested charged with cruelty to a non-livestock animal. He was booked into the Hidalgo County Jail on a $5,000 bond on Friday and released the same day.