Pet sitter failed to provide care for dogs
Barre, VT (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Jan 1, 2010
County: Washington

Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Christopher Tomberlin

Christopher Tomberlin, 27, of Barre was convicted on Tuesday of charges of cruelty to animals and simple assault in a plea agreement reached with prosecutors in two unrelated incidents.

Tomberlin was sentenced to serve 274 days in prison on the charge of simple assault and 30 days concurrent on the charge of cruelty to animals. Tomberlin was given credit for time he served in jail awaiting an outcome of the charges. He was also ordered to pay $282 in court surcharges.

In the plea agreement prosecutors reduced a charge of assault and robbery with a weapon in exchange for the guilty plea to the simple assault.

In the assault case, Tomberlin and two other individuals were accused of kicking another man in the head and taking $160 in an incident in Barre on Aug. 29, 2010.

In the cruelty to animals case, Tomberlin was accused of neglecting two dogs and a bird that he had been left in charge of in January 2010.

According to court affidavits Tomberlin was supposed to take care of the animals while the owner was away. Tomberlin failed to feed the dogs while the owner was away and one dog lost more than 30 pounds. The bird reportedly molted most of the feathers from its breast. Tomberlin also failed to clean up feces and urine that the dogs had dropped in the house.

According to police, several of the animal owner's neighbors had seen that the dogs were not in good condition and offered to take over their care, but Tomberlin refused the offer.

References

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