Puppy's ears cut off with scissors
Newark, DE (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2007
County: New Castle

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: William Hinckle

A 24-year-old Glasgow man was charged with animal cruelty after he reportedly cropped the ears of his pit bull puppy, Precious, with a pair of scissors, causing an infection.

Delaware Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Executive Director John E. Caldwell said William Hinckle, of the 200 block of N. Patrice Drive in the Glasgow Trailer Park, was released Friday after he was charged with the misdemeanor offense.

Caldwell said investigators were tipped to the incident by an anonymous caller.

When SPCA cruelty investigator John Saville went to Hinckle's home May 22 to investigate, he saw the dog when he knocked on the door.

Hinckle "admitted what he did, and the dog went to the SPCA shelter to be seen by a veterinarian," Caldwell said.

Caldwell said Tuesday that Hinckle told the investigator that "he got instructions from someone he met in Wilmington how to do it." Since he didn't know how to perform the procedure correctly, however, the wounds on the dog's ears became infected.

The veterinarian had to perform surgery on both of the 7 1/2-week-old pit bull's ears, cutting away dead flesh and suturing the rest to cover the cartilage, Caldwell said.

The dog is remaining at the shelter in Stanton until the cruelty charge is resolved in court.

If convicted, Hinckle could face up to a $2,300 fine and/or up to a year in jail.

References

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