Diego Alex Trevino Garza, 43, and Elisa Godinez, 38, were arrested last week on charges of aggravated animal cruelty after an investigation revealed that the couple had failed to provide adequate nutrition, shelter, and medical care to a horse in their custody.
The case came to light in early August when a brown and white male Quarter Horse named Monarcas was found severely emaciated, wandering loose in Golden Gate Estates in Collier County.
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A Collier County Sheriff’s deputy discovered the horse in the middle of the night on 37th Avenue Northeast on August 11. The animal, which was extremely thin and malnourished, was captured by a CCSO Agriculture Unit deputy and transported to Collier County Domestic Animal Services (DAS) for evaluation and care.
“There is absolutely no reason a helpless animal should have been allowed to suffer and not receive proper care, especially with all of the resources in our community,” said Sheriff Kevin Rambosk. “Thanks to the efforts of our Animal Cruelty Investigations Alliance, Monarcas is now being properly cared for and is already showing signs of improvement. His now former owners are in our custody and will be held accountable for their criminal actions.”
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The investigation traced the horse back to Garza and Godinez, who reside in a trailer on the same street where the horse was found.
The couple admitted to owning Monarcas since last August or September after the previous owners moved away. Detectives noted that the area where Monarcas was kept lacked shelter, hay, or any appropriate food.
Dr. Darrell Harvey, a large animal veterinarian, assessed Monarcas at DAS and determined that the horse was starving due to inadequate and improper food. Dr. Harvey noted that a horse of Monarcas’s size should weigh between 900 and 1,000 pounds; however, Monarcas weighed just 670 pounds upon arrival at DAS.
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Dr. Harvey warned detectives that without proper food and shelter, Monarcas, estimated to be between 20-25 years old, would likely have died.
Since being taken into care at DAS, Monarcas has begun gaining weight and showing signs of recovery, thanks to proper nutrition and shelter.
The couple has relinquished custody of Monarcas, and both Garza and Godinez are now facing felony charges for aggravated animal cruelty.
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