Case Details
Case Snapshot
Case ID: 10040
Classification: Mutilation/Torture
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Animal was offleash or loose
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Puppy found with ears cut off
Sheffield, AL (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Nov 8, 2006
County: Colbert

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available

Defendant/Suspect: Andrew Chase Slatton

Case Updates: 8 update(s) available

Local law enforcement officials looking for the person who mutilated the ears of a small dog.

Sheffield Police Chief Doug Aycock said his office is investigating the animal cruelty complaint.

"It looked liked someone just cut the ears off the dog,'' Aycock said.

The dog, a 6-month-old Jack Russell mixed breed, is owned by Kerry and Wesley Williams who live on West 13th Avenue. Kerry Williams said the dog, Taco, had crawled underneath the fenced-in backyard and wandered off.

Williams said she found Taco on Nov 8 morning and "liked to have passed out'' when she saw her.

"I thought she had gotten into a fight and I took her to the veterinarian. He's the one who said the ears had been cut off.

"It's got to be a sick person that did this.''


Case Updates

A Colbert County man who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty in January will have to serve his five-year sentence in prison instead of on probation as he had hoped.

Colbert Circuit Court Judge Jackie Hatcher denied Andrew Chase Slatton's probation request Tuesday and ordered that he be sent to prison.

Slatton, 23, of Sheffield, pleaded guilty to first-degree animal cruelty for using a box cutter to cut the ears of his neighbor's Jack Russell terrier puppy named Taco on Nov. 8, 2006.

During Tuesday's hearing, Kyle Brown, chief assistant district attorney for Colbert County, argued against Slatton being granted probation.

Colbert District Attorney Bryce Graham Jr. said Slatton's case has attracted national attention. "Anytime you mistreat an animal, people get upset."

Slatton had been free on bond while awaiting a decision on his probation request.
Source: Times-Daily - May 8, 2008
Update posted on May 21, 2008 - 6:40PM 
Andrew Chase Slatton apologized Thursday for the pain and suffering he caused when he mutilated a neighbor's dog.

"I'm sorry," said Slatton, 22, of Sheffield, to Colbert County Circuit Court Judge Jackie Hatcher before pleading guilty to first-degree animal cruelty. He used a box cutter to cut the ears off the Jack Russell puppy named Taco on Nov. 8, 2006. The dog has since recovered but will be prone to ear infections and other problems all of its life because of its missing ear flaps.

The plea agreement calls for Slatton to receive a five-year prison sentence.

Slatton, dressed in a uniform from the Lauderdale County Detention Center where he is being held on outstanding warrants for minor charges in Florence, asked Hatcher to allow him to receive psychiatric counseling as part of the sentence.

Slatton applied for probation but Colbert District Attorney Bryce Graham Jr. said he will oppose any effort by the defendant to avoid spending time in prison.

Graham called the five-year prison term appropriate. "That's a pretty good sentence. He had no prior felonies and the sentence he agreed to is right in the middle of the road for animal cruelty."

Had he been convicted of first-degree cruelty to animals, Slatton could have been sentenced to one to 10 years in prison.

Slatton's court-appointed defense attorney, Steve Aldridge, of Tuscumbia, said the sentence was a fair settlement.

"Like everyone else involved, I realize this was a terrible, senseless crime," Aldridge said. "I have had the opportunity to review his psychiatric report prepared by the State of Alabama and it is very obvious he is suffering from long-standing mental and emotional problems. It is my hope that whatever punishment he receives will be coupled with mandatory long-term counseling and rehabilitation for the good of him and the good of the community."

Graham said any requirement for Slatton to undergo treatment for mental disorders would be announced at his sentencing hearing.

A sentencing date has not been set for Slatton.

Graham said Taco's plight has attracted national attention.

"We've had letters from people in almost every state in the country expressing concerns to make sure he is punished for what he did," Graham said. "Anytime you mistreat an animal, people get upset."

The animal rights organization, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, launched a letter-writing campaign among its members that called for Slatton to be sent to prison, receive psychiatric counseling and be barred from contact with animals for life.

Stephanie Bell, a senior cruelty case worker for Virginia-based PETA, welcomed the sentence called for in the plea agreement. "We're pleased with five years. We would have preferred 10, but five years is certainly a significant amount of time."

Bell called the attack on Taco a horrific crime. She said she is hopeful Slatton will receive psychiatric counseling and be barred from having contact with any animals.

Graham said any court order related to Slatton being allowed to have contact with animals would be announced at his sentencing hearing.
Source: Times-Daily - Jan 18, 2008
Update posted on Jan 18, 2008 - 3:23PM 
A man accused of cutting off a puppy's ears with a box cutter will go to trial late this summer.

Andrew Chase Slatton faces felony animal cruelty charges stemming from the incident last November.

According to reports, Slatton allegedly cut off the dog's ears after it escaped from a fenced backyard in Sheffield. The Jack Russell-mix puppy named Taco recovered from his injuries.

Slatton is scheduled for trial on August 13, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. in Colbert County Court.
Update posted on Jun 8, 2007 - 3:02PM 
Andrew Chase Slatton will be formally arraigned in Colbert County Court on first-degree animal cruelty charges May 10 at 9:00 a.m.

Slatton is accused of maiming the Jack Russell-mix puppy named Taco last November. According to reports, Slatton allegedly cut off the dog's ears after it escaped from a fenced backyard in Sheffield.

The District Attorney's office has reportedly received letters from across the country expressing outrage over what happened to Taco.
Source: Case # CC07138
Update posted on Apr 9, 2007 - 8:37PM 
The man accused of cutting off a puppy's ears in November has been indicted of first-degree animal cruelty.

A Colbert County grand jury issued the indictment for Andrew Chase Slatton, 21, of Sheffield. He is accused of maiming the Jack Russell-mix puppy named Taco after
it escaped from its fenced-in backyard in Sheffield.

Slatton remains in the Colbert County Jail where he has been held since his arrest Nov. 22. His bail is set at $1,500.

Colbert County District Attorney Bryce Graham Jr. said the animal cruelty case has attracted national attention.

"We've had letters from most every state from people expressing outrage about what happened to Taco," Graham said.
Source: Times-Daily - March 23, 2007
Update posted on Mar 23, 2007 - 6:27PM 
A man has been charged with animal cruelty in the case involving a puppy whose ears were cut off earlier this month.

Andrew Chase Slatton, 21, of Sheffield, was arrested Wednesday afternoon, police said.

He is charged with first-degree animal cruelty, which is a felony, police Capt. Kirk Jones said. He was transferred to the Colbert County Jail. Bail has been set at $1,500.

The dog, a 6-month-old Jack Russell mix named Taco, survived the act, and is able to hear.

Her owner, Kerry Williams, said she is relieved by news of the arrest.

"I'm just glad it's over and we know what happened," Williams said. "And for now he's off the street.

"My daughter has been so happy and jumping up and down ever since we were told. She and my son are very close to Taco."

Slatton lives in the neighborhood near Williams, but she said she doesn't know him.

She said police told her Slatton claims he was drunk and on pills when the incident occurred. "He passed out and when he woke up, Taco's ears were laying there."

"I just don't know what to think about him," Williams said. "I don't think it would be a good idea for me to talk to him right now."

Jones said Slatton has been arrested in the past. The captain didn't go into detail on those charges. "He's been involved in some things, but nothing like this."

Jones said a box cutter was used in the crime.

Taco's plight has been a topic of conversation throughout the Shoals ever since the owners discovered her injuries Nov. 8 while the Williamses were leaving their southwest Sheffield home to take the children to school.

"Friends and a lot of people we don't even know have called and said they would like to get him," she said.

"So many people who we don't even know have been so nice," Williams said. "We really appreciate all of the support."

Police believe the incident took place the evening before or morning of its discovery.

A veterinarian treated the puppy and found no other injuries.

"We take her back to the vet on Friday to make sure she's healing well," Williams said. "She'll probably get the stitches out next week or the week after."

The family had kept Taco in a fenced-in backyard, but she has been staying inside since the incident.

"With no ears, and winter coming on, she could easily get infections because there's nothing to keep the rain and moisture out," Williams said.

"She's doing good and playing again," she said. "She's closer to us now than before."

Williams wants to see the case through to conviction and punishment.

"We will go to trial if there is one," she said. "I don't want to see it pleaded down.

"Anyone who would do something like this needs to realize what they have done."
Source: Times Daily - Nov 23, 2006
Update posted on Nov 24, 2006 - 1:07AM 
A reward is now being offered for information regarding the small dog mutilated in Sheffield. The 6-month-old Jack Russell mix named "Taco" was the victim of felony animal abuse.

Both his ears were cut off when he got out of his fenced-in backyard.

The Humane Society of the United States is offering a 25 hundred dollar reward. And now you can help make that reward even bigger. Another fund is in place at Bank Independent. If you want to help find Taco's attacker, you can make a donation at any branch.

So far, almost 200 dollars has been raised.
Source: WAFF - Nov 16, 2006
Update posted on Nov 18, 2006 - 11:15AM 
A veterinarian who examined the puppy whose ears were cut off by an unknown person said Taco has not lost any of her hearing.

Dr. Troy Youngblood, of North Alabama Animal Hospital in Sheffield, said Friday that the injuries to the 6-month-old Jack Russell mix are not life-threatening.

Taco apparently managed to wriggle under the fence in her backyard and wander off. When her owners found the small dog, they discovered that someone had deliberately cut off her ears.

Taco was immediately taken to the veterinarian. Youngblood said the biggest concern at this point is the possibility of infection.

"We are controlling the infection and pain through medication,'' Youngblood said.

He said there is really no way to reattach the ears. "We can go and pull up the loose skin and do some cosmetic surgery,'' Youngblood said. "The puppy is fine other than someone did this to her ears.''

Sheffield police are investigating an animal cruelty report filed Thursday by Taco's owners. A person who harms an animal in such a way faces a felony charge, police said.

Taco's owner, Kerry Williams, said she has been rubbing cream on Taco's wounds and giving the puppy the prescribed antibiotics.

Williams, the mother of three, said taking care of the puppy is like having a baby around the house again.

"She's staying in the house with us now," Williams said Friday. "Around 2 this morning, I heard her crying, so I got up with her. I just couldn't lay there and wonder if she was hurting.''

Since Taco had been used to staying outside with her mother, Williams said she didn't know if the pup was crying for its mother or because of her injuries.

"I got her one of my daughter's teddy bears and she curled up with it and went off to sleep,'' Williams said.

Taco's injuries were discovered Wednesday morning as Williams was leaving her southwest Sheffield home to take her children to school.

Police said it is believed the incident took place Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning.

"There were no other injuries to the dog other than to the ears. It's a pretty sad case,'' Youngblood said. "It's been documented that people who do something like this to an animal are just a short leap from doing something to a human.''

Williams said she has been amazed by how people have reacted to the news about Taco.

"The people in the neighborhood have been so nice. They're just all very concerned and wanting to know what they can do to help,'' she said.

Williams said Youngblood assured her that Taco would be fine without ears.

"But I'd like to get her some ears if it's possible,'' she said. "I'm just glad she is OK and is going to be all right.''

Anyone with information is asked to call Sheffield police at 383-1771 or CrimeStoppers at 768-7552.
Source: Times Daily - Nov 11, 2006
Update posted on Nov 16, 2006 - 1:45AM 

References

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