Chained dogs neglected, embedded collar infected
Tampa, FL (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Jul 24, 2009
County: Hillsborough

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Curtis Eugene Thomas

A Tampa man left one dog chained to a shed in the sunlight without food or water, Tampa police say.

A chain on another dog became embedded in that animal's neck.

"The dog's neck was oozing and festered with rotting flesh with flies buzzing around the dog's neck," a Tampa Police Department report states. "The wound was so deep that it had grown through the links of the chain and will require surgery for it to be removed."

Police arrested Curtis Eugene Thomas, 31, Sunday [Aug 30, 2009] afternoon. He was charged with animal cruelty, confinement of animals without food and water and possession of a suspended drivers' license.

The dogs were discovered on July 24 but Thomas wasn't home. Officers spoke to him by phone, but he refused to come home, the report states.

One of the pit bulls, Pnut, was taken to Hillsborough County Animal Services. The other pit bull, Big 8, was sent to an emergency clinic.

References

• Tampa Bay Online - Aug 31, 2009

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