The owner of a pit bull was arrested on June 20 after the dog died while muzzled and tied up on a third-floor apartment balcony in the 1600 block of Seven Pines Road, police said.
Jared A. Lieb, 20, who lives at the apartment complex, could face a charge of aggravated animal cruelty.
Police said the dog was left on the balcony without water, but the muzzle was so tight it would not have mattered anyway.
At about 1 p.m., a manager of the apartment complex told an off-duty police officer about the pit bull, which reportedly was foaming at the mouth and having difficulty breathing.
Both the manager and officer went to the apartment and knocked several times but got no answer. When the manager opened the door, there were two other people inside, police said. Lieb arrived at the apartment later, police said.
By the time the manager and the officer reached the dog, it was dead.
Sangamon County Animal Control personnel also were summoned to the scene.
The outside temperature at the time was near 90, and police said the dog's temperature was at least 110 degrees.
It was unclear how long the dog had been tied up on the balcony. Case UpdatesThe owner of a pit bull that died after being left muzzled on an apartment balcony pleaded guilty Friday and was sentenced to two years' probation - with the condition that he not own an animal for two years.
Jared A. Lieb, 20, of the 1700 block of North Grand Avenue West, pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors - cruel treatment of an animal and violation of owner's duties.
Lieb, who lived with others at an apartment at 1669 Seven Pines Road, adopted Caleb, a black-and-white pit bull, from Illinois Humane, an animal welfare group, in May.
Lieb was arrested June 21 after Springfield police found the dog dead on the balcony of the third-floor apartment.
Temperatures were near 90 degrees that afternoon. The dog had been left in the sun without food or water and was muzzled so tightly that he wouldn't have been able to drink anyway, authorities said.
Assistant state's attorney Dwayne Gab said his office had worked with Illinois Humane to achieve a fair outcome of the case.
"The state's attorney's office worked closely with Illinois Humane to reach a resolution that would reflect the serious nature of the charge and prevent this from happening again," Gab said. "They were in support of the terms of the plea."
Lieb also will have to undergo a drug and alcohol evaluation, complete any recommended treatment and complete a course on the humane treatment of animals at the Dog Training center.
"I believe this is the proper way to go," said Illinois Humane president Jane McBride. "They're dealing with the lifestyle issues that I believe are at the root of the problem."
The animal treatment course is being designed by Jason Murphy of the Dog Training Center, McBride said, and "will address the issues we had in this matter," such as barking. McBride said the dog apparently was muzzled because it was barking.
The course also will deal with proper breed selection.
"It is important to get an animal that's appropriate, or if the time isn't right, not getting an animal at all," McBride said.
Animal cruelty is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. Violation of owner duties is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail.
To support a felony charge of aggravated cruelty, authorities would have had to prove the dog's death was an intentional act.
Caleb was taken in by Illinois Humane when he was 6 months old after he was found with 30 pounds of free weights strapped to him. He was significantly underweight and suffering from a skin condition. Caleb's then-owner pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.
McBride said Illinois Humane volunteers checked on Lieb after he adopted Caleb and that the residents of the apartment answered all their questions satisfactorily. She said volunteers left educational material and offered to take the dog back if any problems arose.
The state's attorney's office received more than 200 letters from animal lovers concerning the case. | Source: State Journal-Register - Oct 28, 2006
Update posted on Oct 29, 2006 - 9:23AM |
The muzzled pit bull that died last month after being left on an apartment balcony without water was abused by a previous owner, according to Illinois Humane officials.
A vigil for Caleb, a black-and-white pit bull, will take place at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Washington Park gazebo, after which a tree will be planted in his honor.
Caleb apparently was adopted from Illinois Humane in May by Jared A. Lieb, 20, or someone else who lives with him in an apartment at 1669 Seven Pines Road. Lieb was arrested June 21 after Springfield police found the dog dead on the third-floor balcony of the apartment.
Temperatures were near 90 degrees the afternoon police found the dog on the balcony, allegedly without water and muzzled so tightly that he wouldn't have been able to drink anyway.
Police went to the apartment after a manager reported that the dog was foaming at the mouth and having difficulty breathing. Both the manager and the officer went to the apartment and knocked several times with no answer, police said. When the manager opened the door, two people were inside. Lieb arrived at the apartment later, police said.
By the time the manager and the officer reached the dog, it was dead. Its body temperature was around 110 degrees.
Lieb has not been charged formally in connection with the incident, according to Sangamon County Circuit Court records.
Jane McBride with Illinois Humane said volunteers from the organization checked on Caleb after he was adopted into the Lieb residence, as they do after every pet adoption. She said their only concern was that the adopters were young, but they answered all questions correctly during interviews. She said volunteers left educational material and offered to take the dog back should any issues arise. They also told the adopters to never leave Caleb outside, she added.
Caleb was taken in by Illinois Humane when he was six months old after he was found with 30 pounds of free weights strapped to him. He was significantly underweight and suffering from a skin condition. The owner pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.
McBride said Caleb's death has been difficult for the organization's volunteers. She said the vigil is being held to celebrate Caleb and to raise awareness about animal cruelty and neglect.
"Caleb's story cries for an awareness of the very real tragedy of cruelty and neglect. All one can think is, 'How could this happen to this animal?' And yet it did," she said. "Cruelty and neglect are an unfortunate reality in our society, and we must continue our daily mission to educate and enforce so as to minimize it."
The public is invited to the vigil, where a memorial service will be led by Roger Rominger, senior pastor of First Methodist Church of Springfield. The service will be followed by a walk, and at the end of the walk, a tree will be planted in Washington Park. A marker in Caleb's memory eventually will accompany the tree. There will be a brief reception in the park afterward.
The Springfield Park District also has agreed to allow Illinois Humane to plant a tree at the city's dog park.
Memorial contributions in Caleb's name are being accepted by Illinois Humane and can be sent to the organization at P.O. Box 3364, Springfield, IL 62708. | Source: State Journal Register - July 8, 2006
Update posted on Jul 10, 2006 - 1:12PM |
Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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