Man Tattoos Dog: Animal Control Pays Visit, Leaves
A man who was criticized for tattooing his dog and then posting a picture of it on Facebook has stated that Animal Control cleared him of "animal abuse" accusations.
Ernesto Rodriguez was criticized on Facebook and accused of "animal abuse" after he posted a picture of his dog's stomach that had been tattooed. The dog, named Duchess, is a 5-month-old pit bull.
The dog was inked in Rodriguez's own tattoo parlor located in North Carolina. After abuse accusations were made on Facebook, Animal Control was forced to pay the owner a visit. But according to Rodriguez, Animal Control came and went.
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"Here is the final results for you haters out there," Rodriguez posted on Facebook after the criticism. "Animal control came looked at my beautiful dog and left… wow… what a waste of tax payers money… so im still gonna tattoo my dogs when ever i feel like it… good try haters thanks for all the advertisement."
Rodriguez had previously defended his actions to a local station by stating that the tattoo could help identify his dog if it were ever lost.
"What do they do when they brand animals and tattoo horses on their ear and brand their cow? You're not abusing them. You're just protecting them so they don't get lost," Rodriguez told WXII 12.
Users on Facebook had said that the dog should be taken away and placed in a better home.
"This is so sad. There is not a dog in the world who deserves to go through this type of cruelty. I feel terrible for any dog in your care. I wish they would take them all away and find safe, loving homes for them," said one animal lover.
While Rodriguez was not charged, County Health officials have issued a cease and desist order prohibiting Rodriguez from tattooing humans (or animals) until he acquires the proper zoning permits for his shop.
