Dog trapped in pit for one year or longer Sheffield, AL (US) Incident Date: Wednesday, Feb 28, 2001 County: Colbert Local Map: available Disposition: Convicted Abuser/Suspect: Michael Haugseth

Case ID: 3748 Classification: Neglect / Abandonment Animal: dog (non pit-bull) View more cases in AL (US) Animal was offleash or loose Login to Watch this Case

Michael Haugseth, 53, 211 Riverwood Drive, Florence, was charged after animal control officers found a German shepherd trapped in a pit behind a business owned by Haugseth located in Sheffield.

A complaint was turned in to Animal Control Officers saying a dog was trapped in a hole behind Americycle Reclamation in Sheffield. The business is owned by Haugseth.

Haugseth said to police the dog wandered to the business one day and that he could not get him out of the hole.

The individual who made the complaint said the dog had been in the pit for at least a year and perhaps 18 months.

The police reports show that Haugseth had told authorities he had lowered food and water to the dog. Authorities said the dog was found standing in about 2 feet of its own waste.

The dog was confiscated and was sent to the county's animal shelter.

Sheffield businessman found guilty of animal cruelty in city court after being accused of leaving a stray dog in a pit beneath an abandoned building.

Haugseth received a 45-day suspended jail sentence for the misdemeanor conviction, ordered to pay a fine and court costs totaling $622 and pay $675 to Colbert County Animal Control to offset expenses for treating the dog. City Judge Polly Ruggles suspended the jail sentence for two years.

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References

	Florence AL Times-Daily - Apr 7, 2001
	Florence AL Times Daily - May 24, 2001

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