The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Pet groomer arrested on cruelty charges

By Katherine Petersen

Leo Jiminez, owner and operator of Carmelita's Dog Laundry in Sunnyvale, has been charged with two felony counts of animal cruelty. Jiminez, a Sunnyvale resident, was arrested by Public Safety officers May 16 for allegedly killing a cat and injuring a dog, police said.

Jiminez pleaded not guilty to both charges. His attorney, Esau Herrera, said no abuse took place.

"I'm shocked that these are felony charges rather than misdemeanors. We will fight them because Leo is not guilty. He's an animal lover," Herrera said.

The pet groomer is located on Knickerbocker Avenue.

Levia Stewart said she delivered her black-and-white long-haired cat, Sasha, for grooming at 8 a.m. on March 29. Sasha appeared in perfect health, she said.

"When I came to pick her up at noon, she was in her carrier with her front teeth wrapped around the metal bars of the door," Stewart said. "She wasn't moving."

Stewart demanded immediate veterinary attention. She and Jiminez drove to Sunnyvale Veterinary Clinic to consult Dr. Patricia Soeder.

The cat's autopsy, performed by CVD Inc. of Sacramento, reported that the cat had likely been kicked. The cat had multiple broken ribs that had punctured her lung and heart, according to the report.

"This is extremely disturbing," Soeder said.

Jiminez agreed to take financial responsibility for burial costs and the vet bill, Stewart said.

"I know in my heart that the cat was alive when I put her in the cage," Jiminez said. "I feel bad when a dog's nail bleeds during a trim, let alone killing a cat in my shop. That's impossible."

Marlene Tarigo said her dog, Sheba, a 12-pound poodle mix, came out of Carmelita's Feb. 26 having difficulty walking and tilting her head. Tarigo said she knew something was wrong the minute she saw Sheba.

"Her eyes were devil-red and puffy, and she was just lifeless," Tarigo said. "She couldn't stand still and hold herself up."

She was treated and kept overnight at an emergency clinic. Her temperature was quite low, and she had to be put in an incubator to keep warm, Tarigo said.

Dr. Mary Kate Cameron saw her at Serra Veterinary Hospital the next day.

"She was either unwilling or unable to stand," Cameron said. "She was treated for central nervous system trauma and had bruising on the whites of her eyes."

The head trauma could have resulted from being dropped or from a blow, Cameron said. She also found purple bruises on her neck in the collar area, around her left eye and swelling on the side of her head. Cameron reported the matter to police.

Jiminez said the dog was not leash-trained and struggled against the restraints while being groomed. The dog's hair was matted, Jiminez said, and she had to be muzzled.

"It was a temperamental dog," he said. "No malice was intended."

Therese Marcus, a Carmelita's customer for more than two years, said she is pleased with the shop's work. When her 5-year-old terrier mix, Nikki, figures out where she's going she gets really excited, Marcus said.

"She's a very vocal dog, and when she sees Leo, she starts talking to him," Marcus said.

Nikki tends to be timid around people she doesn't know and would let Marcus know if she had been traumatized in any way, Marcus said. She has watched Jiminez groom her dog and others, and reports she has never seen any problems.

Carmelita's Dog Laundry opened for business three years ago, and Jiminez said these are the first complaints he's had.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, June 25, 1997.
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