Ernesto Rodriguez, a tattoo artist an a disabled military veteran in Pinnacle, N.C., gave a tattoo recently to his five-month-old pit bull, Duchess. He posted the image of the dog’s tattoo on Facebook, according to local media reports last week.
Rodriguez drew criticism from all over the country.
“This is so sad. There is not a dog in the world who deserves to go through this type of cruelty. I feel terrible for any dog in your care. I wish they would take them all away and find safe, loving homes for them,” one person said, according to the Daily Mail.
Another person commented: “Please... do us all a favor... don’t ever have children... I would hate to see what you would to your children if you ever got bored with them in the house.”
And another said, “Receiving a tattoo requires consent. Your dog cannot consent. Please be respectful to those who cannot consent. Be respectful to your dog.”
But when he spoke with Fox News, Rodriguez said that he loves his dogs like family.
“They both have it. They both have their tattoos on them just in case something happens to them,” he said.
He likened tattooing his dog to branding animals.
“What do they do when they brand animals and tattoo horses on their ear and brand their cow? You’re not abusing them. You’re just protecting them so they don’t get lost,” he told WXII-12.
After the public backlash on Facebook, Rodriguez said he doesn’t mind and doesn’t care.
“I'll do it again on my next dogs,” he said.
However, the tattoos might get Rodriguez into legal hot water. The Stokes County Health Department and Animal Control is investigating Rodriguez over the incident and are looking into his basement tattoo parlor.
Last week, health officials issued a cease and desist order on his tattoo parlor until he gets the proper zoning permits.
