Owner of dog care business faces trial in canine’s death

The owner of a Green Valley dog care business faces a trial in Justice Court next week after a dog in her care died last year at her Sahuarita area home, reportedly after being mauled to death by other dogs kenneled at that business.

Carol Halstead, owner of The Groom Shop, 125 W. Calle de las Tiendas, faces an Oct. 28 bench trial in Green Valley Justice Court on charges of animal neglect.

Court documents show that a civil suit has been filed against Halstead in Pima County Superior Court in that case and she also faces a civil suit in a second case in which a dog allegedly died in her care.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has investigated a third case after a dog that had been boarded with The Groom Shop reportedly was mauled by another dog under Halstead’s care in July. The Pima County Attorney’s office will pursue a charge of animal neglect in that case, a spokeswoman for the County Attorney’s office said.

All three dogs’ injuries are alleged to have occurred where the animals are kenneled, at Halstead’s home in the 14200 block of South Avenida de Little Dogie in the Wrangler Ranch area west of Sahuarita.

The owner of the dog that allegedly was injured in July, Green Valley resident Elizabeth Moore, said her 5-year-old Maltese, Toddy, was seriously injured during a stay at The Groom Shop and said that after she had the dog examined by a veterinarian, she came to believe that Halstead downplayed the seriousness of the injuries and misrepresented the timing of the injury.

Pima County Sheriff’s Deputy Dwayne Gustafson visited the business on July 18 and his case report said a veterinarian assistant at the Duval Animal Hospital reported the animal “could be a victim of animal abuse,” based on the nature of the injuries.

The incident was further investigated by Detective Scott Anders, who found the 5-year-old Maltese to be “badly infected,” a Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman said.

Moore said of the dog, “He was very badly wounded. He had puncture marks around his neck and shoulders and his rear end was completely punctured and wounded, all bloody. She (Halstead) said he got into a fight with another dog, but my dog is not aggressive. She said it was over in an instant, they came together and fought a for minute, then it was over, but my dog was hurt badly.”

Moore said of Halstead “she said don’t worry, just put some Neosporin (antibiotic) on it. That was in the afternoon, then this morning (July 19) he looked real bad and his wounds smelled and it felt like he had a fever, so I took him to (the animal hospital). The doctor said if I’d waited, he wouldn’t have made it through the weekend, the infection was spreading and already getting toxic.”

Moore said the dog underwent surgery and other treatment and improved, but that at the veterinarian’s office she was advised by to call police.

Halstead said “there are two sides to the story” but declined to comment further while the case is pending on advice of her lawyer, but she said she would comment later.

Halstead, in court documents replying to the plaintiffs’ claims in the civil suits, did not deny the deaths of the dogs, but said there were other factors involved and that she was not responsible.

The lawyer for the plaintiffs in the two civil suits, Christopher Wencker of the Benavidez Law Group, is the contract town prosecutor in Sahuarita Municipal Court.

It is expected that the civil suits will be resolved after the criminal case that is set for Oct. 28.

pfranchine@gvnews.com | 547-9738