Pregnant dog starved to death
Kalamazoo, MI (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Nov 19, 2006
County: Kalamazoo
Disposition: Alleged
Abuser names unreleased
A man from Kalamazoo accused of animal cruelty. Prosecutors say he left two dogs to starve. One is recovering, but the other died pregnant with eight puppies who also didn't make it.
Teasha Hooper says her cousin's dogs were staying at her home on Portage Street temporarily.
"I went out of town and when I came back they said the dog pound was at my house," said Hooper.
Kalamazoo County Animal Services got a tip on November 19th that one of the terrier mixes was lying motionless in the backyard. They found Midnight the female dead along with eight full term puppies. And a male dog was found nearly starved to death.
"How did I neglect them?" Said Hooper. "I gave them water, I was just waiting for them to come feed them or whatever. It wasn't on me, they're his dogs I feel."
Prosecutors say the suspect only faces a misdemeanor: Up to 93 days in jail and a fine of $1,000. That's because he owned the dogs.
"They separate out an animal owner from someone who doesn't own an animal," said Kalamazoo County Proseuctor Jeff Fink. "And they look at prior offenses. If you have a prior offense, it would move even an animal owner up to a felony level."
The survivor is at Animal Services in good shape. He's gained 15 to 20 pounds in the past month.
But animal control officers say he'd probably be dead if it wasn't for the tip. They say tips are the most important part of their investigations, when poeple bother to call.
"And that's what happens sometimes," said Offier Patrick Parker. "They put it off, people see this, it's going on at their neighbor's house next door and the next thing we're getting a call about a dead dog."
Hooper says she was just doing her cousin a favor by helping to house the dogs. She says she had no idea they weren't being taken care of.
"I didn't know she was going to die," said Hooper. "She was expecting puppies."
The suspect hasn't been arrested yet. A judge is expected to approve the arrest warrant next week.
A conviction could prohibit the owner from having any animals for up to two years. References« MI State Animal Cruelty Map
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