Man told police he’d been evicted after 6 dead dogs found in U-Haul
A Las Vegas judge set bail at $50,000 on Wednesday for a man arrested on suspicion of torturing or killing animals.
On Tuesday afternoon, officers responded to a report of an unattended animal in distress inside a U-Haul, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. Upon arrival, the officers found several dead animals, police said.
“We’re talking about 15 different animals,” a prosecutor said at the initial court appearance of Christopher Winter, 53.
Of these animals, six dogs were found dead, including one covered in blood. An additional six dogs and three cats were found alive and rescued, according to Winter’s arrest report.
The animals were discovered around 3 p.m. Tuesday in the 3100 block of North Tenaya Way near West Cheyenne Avenue, according to police. Temperatures had reached a high of 108 degrees.
A temperature probe police placed inside the cabin of the U-Haul showed a reading of 125 degrees, the report said.
Winter told police that he’d been driving the dogs around in the U-Haul after being evicted from his house, according to the report. He also told police that he had a prior animal complaint filed against him by North Las Vegas Animal Protection Services for having too many animals in his possession.
“You were not capable of taking care of those animals,” Justice of the Peace Rebecca Saxe told Winter. The judge said that she was concerned by the “extremely serious nature of the charges.”
While his case is pending, Saxe ordered Winter not to possess any animals.
Winter is due back in court on Monday.
Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com or 610-810-8450.
