The owner of a pitbull puppy is disputing claims made by Irvine police that the dog overdosed on fentanyl, as the drug urine test came out negative.
Couple arrested on Sept. 6 for drug possession, drug paraphernalia, and animal cruelty charges have not yet been charged by the Orange County District Attorney’s office.
While police state that the 8-week-old puppy, Myla, was not specifically tested for fentanyl, further blood work is being conducted according to Irvine Police Sgt. Karie Davies.
In the meantime, the owner has 3 days left to pay $2,586 in vet bills and room and board for Myla to retain legal ownership, as stated by the police on Friday, Sept. 22.
However, the owner, Caleb Gibson of San Juan Capistrano, claims he cannot afford to make the payment. If he doesn’t, the City of Irvine considers it abandonment, according to Davies.
Myla is currently being held at the Animal Care Center in Irvine.
Gibson, 27, a full-time student, describes an encounter on Sept. 6 where he and his girlfriend stopped in a Walmart parking lot to eat and feed their dog. He says an Irvine police officer approached him claiming littering due to a wrapper from his breakfast burrito on the ground. Gibson apologized and stated he would pick it up after feeding his puppy.
Gibson claims that his car was then surrounded by four to five police officers who instructed him to exit the vehicle.
He explains that he gave the dog to his girlfriend and informed police about the drugs in the car. Following this, he sat on the curb with Myla for almost an hour and noticed no signs of overdose, stating that she appeared playful.
The puppy only started exhibiting symptoms of a potential fentanyl overdose once in police custody, as both Gibson and the police confirm. Gibson says he was taken to a separate room at the police station and was informed about Myla’s alleged overdose hours later during questioning, which surprised him.
In a Facebook post, Gibson alleges that multiple officers handled the drugs in the car and allowed Myla to chew on their fingers, knowing she was teething.
He also challenges the police’s statement that his girlfriend had previously informed them about the puppy’s overdose. Gibson clarifies that his girlfriend merely suggested that the puppy might be overdosing and mentioned witnessing a previous dog overdose.
“That’s ridiculous. I would expect a puppy given fentanyl to die, sadly. I feel like they’re trying to take my dog away from me for some unknown motive,” Gibson states.
Davies, due to the ongoing investigation, declines to comment on Gibson’s accusations against the officers.
Gibson shares that he is currently participating in a methadone maintenance program in Santa Ana after overcoming drug addiction. He adds that he is studying welding full-time at Summit College.
He developed a bond with Myla after assisting a friend in caring for a litter of puppies when the mother became ill.
His girlfriend was unavailable for comment.
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