SALINAS — A local man has been found guilty of animal cruelty after failing to get medical attention for his 11-month-old pitbull mix that eventually had to be euthanized due to a severe case of Demodex. The conviction was announced on Tuesday, April 5, following the initial incident in 2014.
30-year-old Alejandro Cerritos Lopez faces a maximum of 3 years, to be determined at his sentencing on May 24.
Demodex is a common skin disease that is treatable with medicated bath and oral medications.
The pitbull, named Kingbo, began to worsen as his condition spread over his entire body. As a result, he developed numerous secondary bacterial infections as well as septic arthritis in his joints. Despite the obvious need for medical attention, Lopez did not take Kingbo to see a vet.
Kingbo was seized from Lopez by the Monterey County SPCA on March 20, 2014. By then, his body was covered in painful, bleeding, and infected scabs which were falling off of him in piles as he walked. His condition had worsened to the point where an SPCA veterinarian determined that the most humane option was to have Kingbo euthanized to end his suffering.
