Woman zippered puppies into backpack, flung it around bar
A mama Chihuahua and her four puppies are recovering at a Broward County animal shelter after a woman zipped them into a backpack, threw the pack onto bar tables and benches and wildly swung it around, authorities said.
Teresa Gardner, 27, was arrested at 3:12 a.m. Sunday after she showed up at Briny Irish Pub in Pompano Beach, where she “was seen roughly throwing the bag, containing the animals, onto the bar tables and benches,” an arrest report said.
Gardner also was spotted wildly swinging the backpack around outside of the bar at 3440 E. Atlantic Blvd., the report said.
For her cruel and inhumane treatment of the animals, the Gardner was arrested by Broward sheriff’s deputies, according to her arrest report.
Gardner zippered the pups into a backpack, “causing the dogs to smother each other inside and restricting their oxygen levels,” the arresting deputy wrote.
The dogs were “shaken and tormented” but survived the ordeal, the report said.
At a Monday morning first-appearance hearing in a Broward courtroom, Gardner appeared upset and inconsolable.
“I didn’t do that!” Gardner said of the accusations lodged against her. She buried her tear-streaked face in her hands.
Broward County Judge Kim Mollica set Gardner’s bond at $1,000 for a misdemeanor charge of tormenting animals and forbade the Pompano Beach woman from being in possession of any pets.
“I find the facts in the probable cause affidavit troubling,” the judge said.
Mama Chihuahua was feeling protective of her pups and was not allowing anyone to get close enough to take photos, Lisa Mendheim, spokeswoman for Broward County Animal Care and Adoption Center in Fort Lauderdale, said Monday afternoon.
“Mom’s a little bit traumatized right now and scared,” Mendheim said. “So far, so good with the puppies. They’re here under observation right now.”
Mendheim said she was uncertain what the future would hold for the little canines. “They’re just here in safekeeping right now,” she said.
As of Monday evening, records showed Gardner remained locked up at the North Broward Bureau jail in Pompano Beach.