Texas man convicted of ‘deplorable’ abuse of 43 dogs gets 84 years probation

A Texas man kept 43 dogs in soiled kennels that were too small, police said. He fed them moldy food and gave them water that wasn’t drinkable.

He was just convicted Wednesday of 43 counts of animal cruelty and will spend 84 years on probation.

Richard Gonzales, 63, of Aransas Pass, received 720 days of probation for each count of animal cruelty, according to the Aransas Pass Police Department. Gonzales will also need to pay more than $18,000 in restitution.

Gonzales was arrested in May, the Caller Times reported. Animal control officers found the dogs in “deplorable conditions,” according to a police news release.

“These conditions include soiled kennels, multiple dogs in undersized kennels, moldy food, dirty and non-consumable water or no water at all,” the news release said. “Some of the dogs were also obviously suffering from medical conditions for which adequate care is not being provided.”

The dogs were seized and were in animal control custody or outsourced boarding after they were checked medically, according to the release. While serving the warrants, police said “another dog was found to be in bad shape bringing the total number to 43 total dogs seized.”

“Our goal is to help you be a responsible pet owner or provide you with resources in that direction,” the news release said. “The last thing we want is for you or innocent animals to end up in the same positions as Mr. Gonzales and his animals.”