Officer Accused of Incinerating Puppies Faces Call for Permanent Animal Contact Ban
For Immediate Release:
July 14, 2026
Contact:
Andrew Grant 202-483-7382
Following the arrest of Monroe County Animal Control Officer Carlos Santillan on felony cruelty-to-animals charges after surveillance footage captured him burning four puppies to death in an incinerator, PETA dispatched a letter today to District Attorney Dorothy Hull, urging swift and vigorous prosecution. PETA is also urging that upon conviction, Santillan be barred from having contact with animals in any capacity.
“This individual was entrusted to protect animals from cruelty and violence, but stands accused of burning four puppies alive in an incinerator,” says PETA Senior Vice President of Cruelty Investigations Daphna Nachminovitch. “PETA is urging District Attorney Dorothy Hull to hold the perpetrator accountable for this cruel and horrifyingly callous act, and to ensure no more animals are put in harm’s way by seeking a permanent ban on any contact with animals.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
PETA’s letter to Hull follows.
July 14, 2026
Dorothy Hull
District Attorney
Towaliga Judicial Circuit
Dear Ms. Hull:
I hope you’re well. I’m writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and our more than 144,000 members and supporters in Georgia in support of the felony charges filed against Carlos Santillan. Our office has been hearing from individuals from Georgia and beyond who are deeply distraught by media reports describing Santillan’s horrific and cruel killing of puppies at the Monroe County Animal Shelter. Santillan was employed by the county as an animal control officer and was evidently the interim director of the animal control agency, a division entrusted to uphold local and state laws designed to protect animals from violence and cruelty.
According to media reports that include statements made by Monroe County Sheriff Brad Freeman, surveillance footage captured Santillan at the facility as he placed four live puppies into an incinerator and burned them to death. Freeman said that Santillan “appeared to act without hesitation” and apparently “felt comfortable doing it.” We hope your office will order a careful review of any past footage to determine if additional charges may be in order.
Georgia Code § 16-12-4 – Cruelty to Animals states:
(b) A person commits the offense of cruelty to animals when he or she:
(1) Causes physical pain, suffering, or death to an animal by any unjustifiable act or omission
Santillan’s egregious torture of and extreme cruelty to four small, helpless puppies indicate a clear violation of state law and a serious level of depravity. Accordingly, we urge you to prosecute the case to the fullest extent of the law. Upon conviction, Santillan’s sentencing should include mandated psychological counseling and a permanent ban on having any contact with animals in a personal or professional capacity.
Thank you for your hard work for Monroe County’s residents. Please let me know if PETA can be of any assistance.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Brown
Animal Sheltering Advisor | Cruelty Investigations Department
