One Dog Dead, Some Injured, About 150 Escaped as Unauthorized Texas Man Unlocks Canine Cages in Shelter

An animal shelter was broken into by a Texas man, who then let the dogs out of their cages and fled in the shelter's van. As for the dogs, some were injured, while 150 escaped.

The whole ordeal also ended up with one dog dead.

In Abilene, Texas, on Friday morning, George Paul Jones, 38, is accused of breaking into the Abilene/Taylor County Animal Services building.

The Abilene Police Department claimed that Jones allegedly scaled the shelter's perimeter fence, entered through the roof, and managed to open most of those cages on the canine side.

The police stated that he opened more than 150 dog cages at the shelter.

One dog was killed and several others were hurt in the vicious fighting that broke out among all the freed animals.

Meanwhile, numerous dogs escaped the property through a gate on the outside.

Damages and More

Police reported that a number of the building's components, including its office space and the roof where Jones is accused of entering, were damaged.

He fled the scene in a van that belonged to the shelter.

According to an arrest report, police located the stolen van and then pursued him.

Jones' wallet and a photo ID were discovered inside the car, which was reported earlier as an abandoned vehicle. But the wallet was gone when police went back to look at the van.

They got ready to look for potential suspects when they discovered Jones with the key to the 2017 Ford Transit van.

According to the arrest report, Jones admitted to breaking into the animal shelter, releasing every animal from its cages, stealing the van, and breaking into a vacant AEP building close to where he dumped the stolen van.

He was taken into custody and accused of car theft, animal cruelty, and breaking into a house.

A $45,500 bond has been set up for Jones' detention at the Taylor County Jail.

Read also: Neglected Huskies Dropped Off at Virginia Shelter Unexpectedly 

Animal Cruelty

In Texas, it is a crime to intentionally cause the pain or suffering of an animal. This is known as animal cruelty.

The Texas-based Tijerina Law Firm McAllen, says that the offense carries a penalty of up to $10,000 in fines and 10 years in prison.

The break-in and ensuing chaos were described as "horrific" by Abilene's ALL KIND Animal Initiative, which also noted that several animals are still missing despite efforts by volunteers, police, and animal service workers to find and care for the lost dogs.

A medical fund for the hurt dogs has been established by the organization.

This is not the first time a break-in at an animal shelter has made headlines.

Using bolt cutters to open the locks at the Jurupa Valley Animal Shelter located in Riverside County, California, two people were seen on a surveillance camera in April robbing three dogs.

A woman from Oklahoma was detained in March after breaking into an animal shelter just hours before her dog was scheduled to be put to sleep.

Due to incidents involving biting and a dog fight, the woman's pit bull was taken into custody.

And in 2018, a U.S. marine was charged with animal cruelty after allegedly robbing two dogs from the Palms-N-Paws Animal Shelter located in Twentynine Palms, California, Newsweek reported.

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