San Antonio pit bull breeding couple ‘used meat to train their dogs to be aggressive’
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A San Antonio pit bull breeding couple ‘used meat to train their dogs to be aggressive’ before the fatal mutilation of an 81-year-old man.
Christian Alexander Moreno was arrested and charged with criminal negligence: dangerous attack by a dog resulting in death and injury to the elderly and remains in jail. His wife Abilene Schnieder, 31, has now also been indicted on the same charges.
Ramón Nájera, 81, had been trying to protect his wife, 74, from the couple’s pit bulls after they escaped from a yard on February 26 and mauled him to death. His wife, along with two other men, were also injured in the attack.
The dogs had attacked two other people in the neighborhood on two separate occasions and new evidence suggests that the criminal couple had “trained” the dogs to be vicious killers.
Christian Alexander Moreno was arrested and charged with criminal negligence: dangerous attack by a dog resulting in death and injury to the elderly and remains in jail. His wife Abilene Schneider, 31, has now also been indicted on the same charges.
The researchers said news4sanantonio that pitbulls easily escaped from his yard through a hole in the fence.
According to the arrest report, video from a witness showed the dogs were not wearing collars or harnesses, an Animal Control Services (ACS) requirement. Moreno had told investigators that he had complied with the guidelines.
Police said they had received information that Moreno and Schnieder “have been breeding dogs and training them to be aggressive towards meat.”
The affidavit goes on to state that Schneider also had “recorded conversations with her husband about how dangerous the dogs had become.” ‘
The three terrifying American Staffordshire Terriers were euthanized with “multiple reports of violent behavior from the dogs” emerging in the wake of the deadly attack.
After the incident and before her arrest, Schnieder claimed that her husband was not responsible for the attack and that they had taken care of raising them.
After the first couple of attacks, the dogs had been removed from their possession, but they were quickly brought back after the couple’s children begged to be taken away.
“We were coming back and I saw the dogs behind the door, but they were full of blood,” Schneider told the local channel. KENS5.
“It’s traumatizing to see my dogs that I’ve raised since they were puppies do that to someone.”
Ramón Nájera, 81, had been trying to protect his wife, 74, from the couple’s pit bulls after they escaped from a yard on February 26 and mauled him to death.
Firefighters were forced to use pickaxes and metal poles to fight wild animals.
“From the bottom of our hearts, we’re sorry, but my husband is not responsible,” she added, claiming that they had done everything possible to prevent King, Snow and Legend from escaping.
Schnieder said she was trying to raise the money to release her husband on bail: His bail was set at $125,000.
When the two got home on Friday afternoon, they saw their dogs were out of their harnesses and were told by first responders that their dogs had attacked four people and killed one.
His wife described how the dogs could be a handful, that they had run away before and that the family wanted to ride them.
The dogs had been involved in two attacks, one involving King and two involving Snow. Despite that, he said they weren’t bred to be aggressive.
“We never hit them, we neglect them, we never abuse them,” he said.
After the attacks last month, Animal Care Services temporarily confiscated the dogs.
The 31-year-old woman claims that neither she nor her husband wanted the dogs back, but their children did. “I thought, these dogs are not for us anymore,” she said.
The grandchildren of Nájera and his wife Janie shared a tribute to their grandfather and created a GoFundMe Page to help cover funeral costs and medical bills for her grandmother’s injuries.
“Ramon was a native San Antonio, a US Air Force veteran, and an adventurous, outgoing, and loving family man,” they wrote.
“He recently underwent dialysis, but was determined to enjoy life to the fullest despite his state of health.”
Carlos Gomez, Ramón’s stepson and Janie’s son, said on Facebook that his stepfather was a “strong man” who was preparing to start working as a security guard, despite his age.
“She was getting ready to start over at her security job, which is why they stopped at a seamstress. My stepfather was working in his uniform when they were viciously attacked by these dogs,” she wrote.
After more than one attack in recent months, Animal Care Services temporarily confiscated the dogs. Schnieder claims that neither she nor her husband (both pictured) wanted the dogs back, but her children did.
Firefighters can be seen holding their metal pickaxes to ward off the animals.
The attack occurred in the 2800 block of Depla Street, on the city’s west side, where Nájeras and his wife were visiting friends.
As they got out of their car, the couple was attacked by two American Staffordshire Terriers, who had run away from their yard.
When the San Antonio Fire Department arrived at the scene around 1:45 p.m., “dogs were still actively attacking the couple and attempted to intervene,” police said.
An EMS captain was bitten in the leg during the rescue attempt.
San Antonio Animal Care Services confirmed Saturday that the dogs involved in the incident will be euthanized. A third dog that was present but not involved was also euthanized.
Firefighters arrived just after 1.45pm on Friday at what was described as a “horrifying” scene as animals dragged the man away as emergency services tried to intervene.
They were forced to use their beaks to get the dogs to drop them. Two other people, including Nájera’s wife, suffered non-fatal injuries, with a bite in their hand.
When they turned the corner, they could see a man dragged by a dog. He was completely bloody before they got out of the truck,” San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said at the scene.
Snow in the photo with her puppies, 7 males and 2 females. Snow was involved in two attacks last month, as well as last week’s fatal attack.
San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood said his crew was likely traumatized by the gruesome scene.
Emergency services are seen at the scene of a fatal dog attack in which an 81-year-old man died.
‘This is not normal for us. Normally we don’t have to defend patients from animals or ourselves. The firefighters in this case were very heroic fighting these pit bulls with spikes and pipes to try to get to the patients,” Hood said.
‘Two people were mutilated with one confirmed death who was treated and given blood at the scene, along with a woman in critical condition. Another individual was bitten on the hand and also taken to the hospital.
“It’s been a horrible scene and a horrible experience for everyone involved, including the firefighters, which was essentially a rescue to save themselves,” Hood said.
A San Antonio Fire Captain who arrived on the scene was also bitten in the leg during the attack. Hood said the entire experience had likely “scarred emotionally” the firefighters. “No one expects to go out and fight dogs in a situation like today,” he said.
The two women who were attacked were taken to the University Hospital for treatment. One was in critical condition after the attack, but his current condition is unknown.
Shannon Wade Sims, director of Animal Care Services in San Antonio, says the dogs were American Staffordshire dogs. ACS officers responded shortly thereafter and took all dogs involved and placed them in quarantine kennels, where they will remain until further notice.