Oct. 8 -- An Albuquerque woman is accused of forcing 19 dogs to live in inhumane conditions in a West Side home where police also found a person dead last week.
Christina Thompson, 48, is charged with 19 counts of animal cruelty and 190 other charges related to not having animals vaccinated, neutered or with access to medical care.
All 209 charges are a petty misdemeanor.
Court records show Thompson was released on personal recognizance and pleaded not guilty to the charges on Monday.
The alleged animal abuse was uncovered after Albuquerque police responded to a suspicious death at the home on Thursday. Police have not identified the dead person found inside or said how they died.
According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, Thompson "had been previously deemed an irresponsible owner in the city of Albuquerque and is no longer allowed to be in possession of dogs."
Court records show that Thompson is awaiting trial in another animal cruelty case from August, when one of her malnourished dogs allegedly bit a woman so severely she had to be placed in an intensive care unit.
In a third case, from June 2023, charges against Thompson for various animal violations were dismissed due to her not being competent for trial, according to court records.
Animal Welfare Department spokesperson Desiree Cawley told the Journal the dogs are "under-socialized but physically fine."
"The dogs are being quarantined from other animals until ownership is transferred to the Animal Welfare Department," she said.
Once ownership is transferred, Animal Welfare will evaluate the dogs to determine whether they are adoptable, Cawley said.
Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson Franchesca Perdue said at about 11 a.m. Thursday, officers responded to a call of a suspicious death in the 4500 block of Glendale NW. Officers found a dead body inside the home. The status of the suspicious death investigation is unclear, and Albuquerque police did not immediately respond those questions Tuesday.
Police said after they arrested Thompson on the charges related to the animals, they contacted Animal Welfare about malnourished dogs on the property. Animal Welfare later removed 19 mixed-breed dogs that weighed 30 to 50 pounds each.
The complaint states the dogs had ribs and pelvic bones that were "easily visible." Some had "hair that was thin and dirty" and overgrown nails.
Police said the dogs lived in a backyard that was filled with feces. Officers were also unable to verify if the dogs were current with their rabies vaccinations.