Animal control fails to protect dog, resulting in death

Video: 5 Dogs That Died Saving Their Owners Life

Laws have been put into place to protect pets from unfit, abusive, or neglectful owners. When pet owners fail to take proper care of their pets, Animal Control must work to enforce those laws in order to protect the animals. This article, published on yourConroeNews.com, tells one horrific case where Animal Control fails to protect a dog, resulting in his death. 

Video: Hope For Paws rescues a mom and a puppy living in a trash can. Please share.

Animal Control Fails to Protect Dog, Resulting in Death

In the case of one dog, as reported by Managing Editor Jennie Branch in The Courier in two separate articles, the system failed to protect the dog and now it is up to that system to investigate and possibly prosecute the owners of the dead dog.

As reported Dec. 18 in The Courier, resident Linda Lindemood said she contacted Montgomery County Animal Control and the Sheriff’s Office in mid-November regarding the dog, which was tied to a fence and had no food or water. While Animal Control and the MCSO initially said they had no records of the woman’s calls, but later admitted the calls were received, Lindemood said an Animal Control officer visited the house Nov. 14 and told her to give the owner two to three days to turn around the situation. If the dog was in the same condition, Animal Control would remove the animal.

Three weeks later, nothing had changed and the dog was dead. The body remained in the back yard for more than two weeks before it was buried.

Lindemood said Animal Control listed the cause of death as starvation. If that was the case, it seems Animal Control, on the initial visit, could have contacted the owner or left a note on the door for the owner to properly feed and water the dog. If that wasn’t followed, Animal Control could have removed the dog.

Once the dog died, the responsibility switched to the Sheriff’s Office for investigation and possible charges. However, the MCSO has stated there were no signs of cruelty.

A report of a neglected, starving dog … no action taken- a follow-up report of a dead dog … still no action taken. The system failed this dog and cost it its life, despite attempts by a concerned neighbor.

The system failed to protect the dog and now is failing to investigate what appears to be clear neglect and cruelty.

In Texas, a number of statutes govern treatment of animals. Criminal laws are in place to prohibit the cruel or inhumane treatment of domestic animals, in this case the dog. Animals also are protected from mistreatment by civil laws. Under criminal law, intentional or knowingly cruel treatment of animals is prohibited – but accidental or negligent actions cannot be prosecuted. Cruel treatment includes failure to provide care for an animal, such as providing necessary food, care or shelter or abandoning an animal. For a first or second offense, it is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $4,000, up to a year in jail, or both. A third offense is a state jail felony, punishable by 180 days to 2 years and a fine up to $10,000.

While intentional or knowledgeable neglect may be hard to prove in court, a dog was chained to a fence with no food or water for several weeks and died, with starvation listed as the cause of death.

If the system is ever going to make a difference in the treatment of animals, cases like this must be responded to swiftly to save animals and prosecuted in cases where the animals do not survive.

Video: Rescuing a Dog Who Was Starved to the Brink of Death - Her Recovery Will AMAZE You! Please Share!

When Animal Control fails to protect a dog, resulting in his death, where does the responsibility lie? Of course the owner should be prosecuted, but should there be an investigation into the Animal Control officer(s) that failed to take action before it was too late? You can find the original article here and give us your opinion in the comment box below.

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