Woman admits deforming caged Great Dane

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An Albuquerque city employee has pleaded guilty to keeping her Great Dane locked up in a cage so small it left the animal badly deformed and barely able to walk.

Crystal Santiago-Griego, 26, was a city bus driver at the time of her arrest and was fired soon after. On Thursday she pleaded guilty in District Court.

District Judge Charles Brown sentenced Santiago-Griego to 280 hours of community service in local animal shelters.

Heather Ferguson of Animal Protection of New Mexico told KRQE News 13 that she doesn't agree with the sentence.

"We advocate that they're not put back in a situation where they're given a chance to interact with animals," Ferguson said.

Last September animal control officers seized Santiago-Griego's cats, a dog and the badly-deformed Great Dane that had spent most of its life in the cage and could barely walk.

Police said they were overwhelmed by the smell of urine in the apartment of Santiago-Griego and her husband, Ted Griego. Investigators said that the place was so trashed they had to condemn it.

Animal control officers had cited her before for failing to microchip, vaccinate or neuter the Great Dane, which did fit in the cage at the time.

But about seven months later when Santiago-Griego didn't take care of the citation, they went back to her home. That's when they found the owner had continued to keep the Great Dane in the cage even after the dog outgrew it.

News 13 learned an Albuquerque family adopted the Great Dane soon after it was rescued and that the dog is now able to walk.

Ted Griego pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty and must serve 32 hours of community service.

They were both banned from owning animals.

"This is truly someone who has a callous disregard for animals," said Ferguson.