Dog severely emaciated Roscommon, MI (US) Incident Date: Thursday, Jan 11, 2007 County: Roscommon Local Map: available Disposition: Convicted Charges: Misdemeanor Case Images: 3 files available Abuser/Suspect: Lawrence Edward Baumgart

Case ID: 11734 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in MI (US) Login to Watch this Case

A Roscommon County man found guilty of animal cruelty by a jury last month was sentenced to serve a month in jail and ordered to pay thousands of dollars in fines and restitution on July 10.

Crawford County District Court Judge Monte Burmeister ordered Lawrence Edward Baumgart, 46, to serve 30 days in the Crawford County Jail immediately for a charge of animal/cruelty-abandonment. An additional 60 days in jail will be held in abeyance while Baumgart serves two years on probation.

Baumgart was also ordered to pay $2,963.83 in restitution to the Animal Shelter of Crawford County and Grayling Hospital for Animals for care of a yellow lab, which has been named Thor, which he is accused of neglecting. He was also ordered to pay $4,203.83 in court costs and fines while he is on probation.

Baumgart was ordered to serve 200 hours of community service at the Animal Shelter of Crawford County or at the Roscommon County Animal Shelter. Burmeister said it was his hope that Baumgart would learn to properly care for his animals while performing the community service.

Finally, Burmeister ordered Baumgart to relinquish the ownership of dogs he currently owns, although his kennel license was renewed by the Roscommon County Animal Shelter.

Thor was found on Jan. 11 emaciated in a carport where Baumgart's mother, Judith Baumgart, lives on Stephan Bridge Road. The dog was tied to a golf cart with a nylon strap.

Veterinarians who testified at the trial said that Thor was half his normal weight and his ribs were clearly visible due to lack of muscle mass.

Miranda Bailey, Baumgart's defense counsel, argued that Thor had jumped from the truck while he was snow plowing his mother's driveway on Dec. 28.

Gail Foguth, the animal control officer for Crawford County, testified that Baumgart's mother did not tell her that she or her son were missing a dog, trying to pass it off as a stray.

Terry MacKillop, the animal control officer for Roscommon County, said he was able to link the ownership of Thor to Baumgart after area citizens circulated flyers, seeking to cover mounting veterinary bills.

Baumgart volunteered to relinquish the ownership of six other labs he had in his kennel after being questioned by MacKillop.

Baumgart declined an offer to make a statement prior to his sentencing. He agreed to forfeit the ownership of Thor to the Animal Shelter of Crawford County.

Thor has been cared for by Cheryl Postma, the director for the Animal Shelter of Crawford County. Postma said Thor is doing well physically, but is still anxious around people.

Burmeister said that hearing the testimony at the trial reminded him of seeing a dog abused as a child, but said the neglect of Thor was more excessive because it was over several months.

"What this represents to me is a systematic deprivation of this dog," Burmeister said.

Sharon Priebe, president of the Animal Shelter of Crawford County Board of Directors, said shelter officials were elated with the outcome of the case.

"As president of the Animal Shelter of Crawford County Board, we are pleased with Judge Burmeister's decision," Priebe said. "We feel it was right and justified, and we hope that this serves as a lesson to other people - that if they don't properly care for the animals - the judicial system will get involved to make sure their animals are cared for like they should be."

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References

Crawford County Avalanche - July 12, 2007

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