Mother, Son Arrested For Putting Puppy In Plastic Bag (Photo)

A New Mexico woman and her son have been charged with animal cruelty after they put a newborn puppy in a Ziplock bag and took photos.

According to the Huffington Post, Mary Snell, 44, and her 21-year-old son, Britton James Engel, were arrested after police were alerted to a photo of the mother and son holding up a newborn puppy in a plastic bag to the camera.

Engel reportedly took the photo of his mother smiling while she held up the 8-week-old puppy, named Baby, in a Ziplock bag, which is just big enough to fit the puppy inside.

Snell told reporters that she knew putting the puppy inside the bag was wrong, but that she did it anyway because she says she couldn’t get him to stay still any other way. She eventually removed the photo from social media.

According to a criminal complaint, Snell told deputies that she wanted to show a friend how small the puppy was, KOAT reports.

Deputies say that the puppy was deprived of oxygen while in the bag, as it was face down and pressed against the inside of the bag.

Both Engel and Snell have been charged with felony animal cruelty. They were both released on $10,000 bond, according to KOAT. 

Extreme animal cruelty is a fourth-degree felony, punishable by up to 18 months in prison.

Baby is currently living with another family member. A judge ordered that Snell and Engel both stay away from animals.

Readers commented on the story on Shared’s Facebook page.

“Eye for an eye,” one reader commented. “We need to start making examples out of people.. then maybe they would be a little more worried about the repercussions of their actions.. I am not being mean I’m being serious.. what I this had been a new born baby.. if you can do this to a puppy next step is a human!”

“I see so many of these evil posts and it physically makes me feel sick,” another user wrote. “I believe with all my heart that these types of people should not be allowed to live. I know that might sound extreme to some but if thy can be so cruel and have no thought towards innocent creatures then they do not need to be a part of this world! There is enough evil.”

“There is just something wrong with these people because I do not understand how you could even think of hurting anything so tiny and harmless!” Another reader commented. “These people should have the same punishment they have inflicted on these poor animals it’s the only way they will learn and think about what they have done!”

Sources: Huffington Post, KOAT, Shared/Facebook / Photo Credit: KOAT via Daily Mail