Hollister woman arrested on felony animal cruelty charges

HOLLISTER, Calif. (KION-TV)- On Thursday afternoon, Hollister Police Animal Control Officers announced they have arrested Ritsuko Nakaya as she was charged with felony animal cruelty charges.

The investigation started on March 22, when Animal Control Officers were responding to a call regarding a welfare check of a two-year-old male cat who had been taken to a local veterinary office due to its injuries at the Animal Hospital of Hollister on San Felipe Road.

Veterinary staff told officers that Nakaya had failed to treat her animal for an infected
abscess, and causing preventable paralysis.

Officers said that Nakaya knew the severity of her cat's injuries left against the professional medical advice of the veterinarian.

Officers immediately went to Nakaya's residence on the 2000 block of Nora Drive and issued her a veterinary treatment notice to provide the animal necessary care to avoid criminal charges.

Naykya became uncooperative throughout the investigation. Animal Control officers drafted a warrant to search the residence.

Hollister Police Department and Animal Control officers returned to her residence on March 27 to serve the search warrant.

Animal Control officers located the cat and rushed it to a local veterinary hospital. The cat was examined and x-rayed.

The results revealed that the cat had no function of its back legs, and it was unlikely for the animal to have return to function of its back legs even with aggressive treatment.

The cat was humanely euthanized due to its poor prognosis and quality of life concerns.

Nakaya was arrested and booked into the San Benito County Jail.