SAN LUIS VALLEY — A New Mexico man is facing several charges and could lose his privileges to hunt and fish after Colorado Parks and Wildlife said he allowed his dog to kill a fawn in southern Colorado.
36-year-old Michael Garcia, from Las Cruces, New Mexico, has been charged with illegal possession of wildlife, allowing his dog to harass wildlife and unlawful manner of take of wildlife. He is facing a fine of $1,372 and an assessment of 20 license-suspension points. That means he must appear before a CPW suspension hearing officer and it could result in suspension of license privileges from one to five years.
According to CPW, Garcia was in an area near the Conejos River in southern Colorado when his dog chased the fawn and killed it. CPW found out about the incident after Garcia posted photos of the dog and the dead fawn on his social media pages.
“This is a disturbing case; we’ve heard from many members of the public wanting CPW to investigate,” said Rick Basagoitia, area wildlife manager for CPW in the San Luis Valley. “Information that they’ve provided has been greatly helpful to CPW efforts.”
Wildlife crimes can be reported anonymously to Operation Game Thief at 877-265-6648. Those who report are eligible for a cash reward if the tip results in and issue of a ticket or a conviction.
