Humane Society Seeks Charges For Owners Of Dog That Starved To Death After Eating Sock
ANN ARBOR (WWJ) -- Animal abuse charges will be sought against owners of a poodle that died after being turned in to the Huron Valley Humane Society back in June.
Officials there say newly-released post-mortem tests on the dog revealed a long period of starvation. The dog's owners told shelter employees that the dog had eaten a sock -- but not much else -- and that they couldn't afford to care for the pup.
After receiving the necropsy results which indicated significant and extended starvation, cruelty investigators at HSHV are seeking charges on neglect and failure to provide veterinary care.
The three-year old named Brownie, a chocolate-colored standard Poodle, was "visibly emaciated and unable to stand," the Humane Society said in a release.
HSHV attempted emergency surgery to remove the obstruction, but the dog's condition was too frail and the perforation of her organs too severe for her to survive treatment.
"It's a shame," HSHV Cruelty and Rescue manager Michele Baxter said. "They'd seen a vet in the past and clearly cared about Brownie at one point. But when Brownie came to us, her bones were protruding from her skin. She had zero fat on her shivering little body. Brownie was so uncomfortable, she couldn't even sit on a blanket."
The owners said that Brownie, an AKC-registered poodle, was "devoted and loving." They indicated she knew how to sit and stay, and that she "begged for people food."
"We hope by bringing this case to the public's attention, it will serve as a reminder of the importance of seeking medical treatment—which is the law—and that HSHV can provide emergency assistance in cases such as this," HSHV's president and CEO Tanya Hilgendorf said. "We know people fall on hard times that can't be predicted, and we want to help. But we also see people who acquire animals who are not properly educated on the long-term commitment they are making. Pets add so much to our lives but they also come with challenges that we need to be ready to meet."