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Man says newfound faith helps him avoid ‘temptation’ to victimize animals
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Salvador Rendon says people sometimes point at him in public because of the notoriety that came along with being convicted in April of repeatedly having sex with a family dog.
Rendon said his response to the attention is to say, “Thank you, Lord.”
Rendon said he was baptized over the weekend. His newfound faith was prompted by the criminal charges filed against him, he acknowledged through broken English.
Judge Thomas Gysegem of Warren Municipal Court also ordered Rendon to stay away from his wife and the home on Ward Avenue Northwest where he once lived with her.
“I leave it to the Lord. It’s one step at a time. He’s leading me,” Rendon said outside of the court Tuesday, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.
The purpose of the hearing was so the judge could check to see that Rendon is receiving the mental-health counseling he ordered and is otherwise following the judge’s orders.
Judge Gysegem learned that Rendon attended his first counseling session Friday at Coleman Behavioral Healthcare and will have a second one in late June.
Atty. Gil Blair, the Warren prosecutor handling the case, said a bailiff has verified that Rendon is complying with the judge’s order that he not possess any animals.
Judge Gysegem called Rendon’s compliance so far “satisfactory” and added that he will schedule another hearing in 45 days – after Rendon attends his next counseling session and makes a payment on his fines and costs.
Rendon, who pleaded no contest to one count of animal cruelty, has served 30 days in the county jail and was ordered to serve five years’ probation, including a prohibition against having contact with animals.
Judge Gysegem still could impose as much as 60 more days in the county jail if Rendon fails to meet his probation obligations.
When asked whether he has a different attitude toward his behavior toward animals, Rendon didn’t answer directly, but said “I’m in a different world now, spiritually with Jesus.”
He added, “I leave it to him. Nobody’s perfect in this world. Temptation will never rest.”
Several animal activists who attended the hearing are among a group of people who have used Rendon’s conviction as evidence that Ohio should pass a statewide law making sex with animals a crime.
Rendon’s behavior was cited as a reason why a Boardman activist and a Cleveland attorney presented Warren City Council with a draft ordinance that would make it illegal in Warren.
Council gave a second reading to the legislation last week, and it is expected to become law this month.