Baja California’s Attorney General’s Office (FGE) rescued two severely malnourished pitbull dogs from an abandoned property in Mexicali on May 7. Investigators executed a search warrant at a home on Calle Bebelama in the Huertas del Colorado neighborhood, where they found both animals in extreme physical distress with no food or water on the premises.
The two dogs, one white and one brown with a white chest patch, were emaciated to the point that their bones were visible beneath their skin. The FGE’s Specialized Environmental Crimes Unit led the operation after the property was identified as an abandoned residence.
Multi-Agency Operation Secured the Scene
The rescue required coordination among several agencies. A public prosecutor oversaw the search warrant execution, while four agents from the State Investigation Agency (AEI) secured the property. A unit from SEDENA, Mexico’s national defense ministry, also participated in the operation.
Staff from Santuario Animal Mily, a local animal rescue organization, assisted with the physical recovery of the dogs. The sanctuary works directly with Baja California state authorities on animal cruelty cases and took custody of both pitbulls for rehabilitation.
Animal Cruelty Treated as Environmental Crime in Baja California
Under Baja California law, severe animal neglect is classified as a prosecutable environmental offense. The FGE’s environmental crimes unit handles these cases with the same investigative tools used for other criminal matters, including court-issued search warrants.
This case is part of the FGE’s ongoing enforcement of state animal welfare statutes. Baja California has strengthened its animal protection framework in recent years, giving prosecutors the authority to pursue criminal charges against owners who abandon or starve domestic animals.
The Huertas del Colorado neighborhood sits in the southern portion of Mexicali, roughly 15 minutes from the city center. No arrests have been announced in connection with the case, though the investigation remains open.
This story was first reported by La Jornada Baja California.