LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – The man accused of leaving several puppies in a valley dumpster told police he sprayed them with chemicals to “expedite the process,” an arrest report reveals.
Michael Grindrod is facing multiple charges of animal cruelty after a maintenance worker discovered the puppies in the dumpster on Tuesday, Nov. 5. The worker told police that once he lifted the bag, he could hear the puppies crying inside – a moment that was also caught on surveillance video.
Animal control officers responding to the scene also noted to detectives that the puppies smelled like chlorine, and rushed them to The Animal Foundation for further treatment.
In an interview, the apartment complex owner identified Grindrod to police and noted that his dog had just given birth. She added that Grindrod, an employee at the complex, had just been fired and evicted after a failed drug test.
A detective noted in the report, “She thought it was strange how he kept bringing it up and wanted it to be known he got rid of some puppies.”
READ MORE: Apartment complex workers describe rescuing puppies tossed in a dumpster
Grindrod later told police that he had given them away to someone he met at a nearby bar, but could not identify the man when pressed for details.
One of Grindrod’s daughters also shared with officers that her father threatened to “put [the puppies] in a trash bag and shake them with chloroform.” However, she added that she did not see him commit the act.
After finding an outstanding warrant for vehicle theft, police arrested Grindrod.
While in custody, Michael told officers that he waited for his daughters to fall asleep before placing the puppies in a garbage bag and spraying them with a combination of bleach and Fabuloso.
When asked why, Grindrod said that he could not take care of all the puppies but did not want them to suffer. He added that he thought the chemicals would “expedite the process.”
One of the puppies would later be euthanized, but the remaining eight were reunited with their mother, Zoey, in a foster home. Zoey and her puppies will stay together as a family until the pups are eating well on their own and can then be socialized, the Animal Foundation shared on Instagram.
Grindrod is due back in court on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
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