While a local dog was caught being abused on a surveillance camera, it looks like this story may be headed to a happy ending.
According to New Bedford Police, on Thursday, officers assisted New Bedford Police Animal Control with an animal cruelty investigation into an apartment on Barker’s Lane.
The investigation included a review of surveillance footage that showed a woman repeatedly striking and physically assaulting a small dog. As a result, 32-year-old Female Mojica was arrested and charged with animal cruelty.
The eight-month-old dog, named Ace, was located at a separate residence and taken into the care of Animal Control. Ace was found with visible bruising to his head and body, including a swollen eye socket. Animal Control officers brought him to an animal hospital Thursday evening for examination and treatment.
Mojica surrendered Ace to Animal Control. Following his hospital visit, he was transferred to Forever Paws Animal Shelter in Fall River.
Court records show that at arraignment in New Bedford District Court, she pled not guilty and was being held on $1,500 cash bail with a pretrial hearing scheduled for November 13th.
Forever Paws has changed Ace’s name to Puffin and has put him up for adoption. Here are the details directly from the shelter.
Puffin is about eight months old and is a small poodle mix at around 15lbs. He probably won’t get much bigger, but they can’t guarantee that he’ll stay under 20lbs. They also can’t guarantee that he’s hypoallergenic because they have no way of knowing what he’s mixed with.
Despite his past, Puffin is VERY MUCH a typical puppy. He’s rambunctious and high-energy, still needs help with his leash manners, and is just discovering his voice and how to use it…and he uses it OFTEN. He would not be ideal for shared walls/apartment complexes or for people with a sedentary lifestyle because this guy is a three ring circus all on his own and NEEDS an outlet for that energy. He’s also a poodle mix and poodles are wildly intelligent so he’ll need that mental stimulation as well.
You would think that Puffin would be afraid of people but nope. He’s been nothing but a social butterfly at the shelter, ready and willing to make friends with anything and everything. This includes cats who want absolutely nothing to do with him which he doesn’t understand…so dog-savvy/dog-tolerant cats only, please. He’s very excited to meet other dogs but tends to lose interest when that energy isn’t reciprocated.
While Puffin has been nothing but playful and gentle while at the shelter, they are asking for older kids (10+) only. He has been through some brutal trauma and, while he hasn’t shown any lasting effects of that here, there is ALWAYS the potential that something could trigger him. They’re hoping that he’s young enough that it will just be a bump in the road for him, but they NEED to set him up for success.
Please, PLEASE make sure that, if you apply for Puffin, you are a match for what he needs to thrive. Forever Paws understands that his story will tug on a lot of heartstrings and a lot of people will want to adopt him, but they cannot stress enough that he is a high-energy puppy with minimal training and he will need constant mental stimulation and exercise to keep him happy and healthy. He WILL NOT be a couch potato. This is a puppy that wants to be on the go.
To apply, visit foreverpaws.com and click adopt to download the application. Once complete, you can email it to them at fpas1@foreverpaws.com.
The NBPD thanked their Animal Control officers and everyone who came forward with information that helped ensure Puffin was located and brought to safety.
Animal cruelty is a serious matter. Anyone who witnesses suspected animal abuse is encouraged to report it to their local police.
