Dog necropsy in Ojai reveals horrific abuse, police say
An Ojai-area man has been arrested on suspicion of felony animal cruelty after a necropsy of his family’s dog revealed the animal had been abused prior to its death, officials said.
The Ojai Police Department got a call on New Year’s Eve reporting that a man had killed the family dog, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, which provides services in Ojai and the surrounding unincorporated areas.
Officers arrived at the 1100 block of Woodland Avenue, where a resident identified the suspect as 35-year-old Donhvon Henry Snyder, officials said.
Working with two specialists trained to investigate animal cruelty, detectives determined that Snyder “had a hatred” for Victoria, the family’s 10-year-old Chihuahua mix.
Snyder “maimed the canine prior to the final act of ending Victoria’s life,” according to sheriff’s officials, who said the man led detectives to where he had buried the dog’s body after killing her in November.
The dog’s remains were exhumed and a necropsy was performed at the county animal shelter in Camarillo. Officials said before her death, the dog experienced trauma around her neck “which resembled strangulation.” A veterinarian also found the small dog had suffered from injuries, including broken bones, “for an extended period of time” prior to her death, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Snyder is being held in the Ventura County jail in lieu of $35,000 bail and is scheduled to return to court Monday.
Twitter: @newsterrier
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