Silver lining surfaces

Horrific animal abuse case

Mariposa residents cringed at the images of seriously mistreated and malnourished dogs discovered at a Paraiso Boulevard residence in the Lake Don Pedro subdivision. Those images were posted on the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page.
On July 27, deputies arrested 25-year old Malik Omari Nickelberry on felony charges of animal neglect and child endangerment. He was booked into the Mariposa County Adult Detention Center on those charges as well as a violation of probation. His bond was set at $35,000.
Reportedly, a neighbor who is in law enforcement, alerted the Mariposa County authorities.
The canines were taken to the Mariposa Animal Control facilities on Fairgrounds Road. There was one female Boxer mix, an adult male Cane Corso (Italian Mastiff), and an adult female Cane Corso with seven puppies.
According to the Sheriff’s Office post, “Many of the animals weighed less than half what a healthy weight should be.”
After a week at the Mariposa Animal Control facilities, the sheriff’s office partnered with Friends of the Animal Community (FOAC) in Sonora and transferred the canines. That rescue center took over the extensive rehabilitation and healthy recovery responsibilities for the severely mistreated dogs.
Darlene Mathews, director and founder of FOAC said that Mariposa Animal Control had significantly improved their condition.
“We immediately took them to the vet,” said Mathews. “They were all anemic and crawling with fleas.”
Mathews explained that the dogs had to be put on a special allotted feeding plan so that their weight gain and recovery was paced and planned. They were carefully bathed and exercised.
A foster family in the area stepped forward to assist in the recovery process and the dogs are making great progress, according to Mathews.
“It’s hard to imagine why someone would treat animals this way. We understand he had the financial wherewithal to care for them. It’s unimaginable,” Mathews stated.
She said the dogs will be spayed and neutered before they are put up for adoption. “We have a pretty rigid adoption process, but we’re going to be able to make them available. They are very sweet tempered and really like children,” Mathews added.
FOAC conducted an online fundraising effort after the dogs were transferred into their custody. They raised over $3,000 in just a few days for their treatment.
Fundraising is an ongoing effort at this rescue facility and donations can be made at the FOAC website: www.foac.us.
Nickelberry was charged with two felonies for cruelty to animals, along with a misdemeanor child abuse charge. Nickelberry pled guilty to all charges. He was scheduled to be sentenced in Mariposa County Superior Court on Aug. 28.
According to Deputy District Attorney Rena Harrison, through negotiations with Nickelberry’s defense counsel, Nickelberry was going to be sentenced to 30 days of custodial time, and a period of community service, which was to be determined at the court’s discretion. Harrison explained that the DA’s office planned to recommend that his community service be served working at an animal shelter or rescue facility.
Reportedly there is an ongoing child welfare investigation.
On the sheriff’s office social media post, Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese stated, “I’d like to thank the dedication and proactive work by Animal Control and Sheriff Deputies involved, their investigative interventions saved these K9 lives. Pets are exceptionally loyal to us and depend on us. If you want to be a pet owner, be loyal to them.”
Tragically, just days later on Aug. 6, deputies arrested Marcos Castro-Manzano, 31, of La Grange. The final result of this case had no silver lining for the abused dogs that were discovered.
Working off an anonymous tip, Mariposa Animal Control officers responded to the 10000 block of Bandarilla Road in the Lake Don Pedro area. According to the sheriff’s office, once they arrived on scene they knew immediately that they needed the assistance of deputies to make an arrest.
They discovered seven dogs that were emaciated, tick and flea infested, dehydrated and kept on one to two foot chains and ropes. Six of the dogs were so badly abused and mistreated they had to be humanely euthanized.
The report stated, “Each dog had copious amounts of ticks, so many that at a glance they looked like large tumors. The amount of ticks caused severe anemia. Many of the dogs had rope burns into the third layer of skin around their necks from being tied up.”
The one surviving canine is under veterinary care.
Sheriff Briese said, “These photos are hard to look at, it makes me sick to think about the way these animals have been treated. I can’t say enough good things about the way our Animal Control staff and the deputies have handled these cases. Please, if you have animals that you cannot take care of, call our office. Turn your animals over to Animal Control!”