|
Only have a minute? Listen instead
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office alleges a 56-year-old McAllen man who operated a mobile veterinarian service and prepared his equipment at a car wash was practicing veterinary medicine without a license and killed a dog as a result of a botched procedure.
Sheriff’s investigators arrested Roberto Mejia on Tuesday and charged him with two counts of violating veterinarians regulations and two counts of cruelty non-livestock animal.
The investigation into Mejia began Sept. 2, 2021, when a Donna woman reported to sheriff’s deputies that she had hired a “mobile vet” named “Dago” to spay two dogs, and one of them — a 2-year-old black and white husky dog — had died as a result.
The other dog — a 7-year-old black labrador — sustained internal bleeding.
“She has not been able to make contact with Dago since,” an arrest affidavit for Mejia said. “She called the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office to report that Dago’s veterinary practice might not be licensed.”
Investigators later identified Mejia as Dago. According to the affidavit, the woman hired Mejia to conduct the procedure on Sept. 2, 2021.
“Dago prepped his equipment in a building used for car washes,” the affidavit said.
She stepped away from the area, but returned when she was told via portable radio to return.
“Dago asked for $90 for Chiquis’ spaying procedure, but was not compensated because Cholly had died as a result of complications from the spaying procedure,” the affidavit said.
Investigators said Mejia admitted to not being a licensed veterinarian.
Hidalgo County Adult Detention records indicate Mejia bailed out of the county jail Wednesday on a total of $40,000 in bonds.
