William Dodson: Man Arrested For Duct-Taping SC Dog’s Muzzle, Dog’s Tongue May Have To Be Removed
Last week, everyone saw the disturbing photos of a poor dog with her muzzle taped. Now, the North Charleston Police Department has arrested a man believed to be responsible for the dog’s mistreatment.
On Monday, June 1, William Leonard Dodson was arrested and charged with criminal animal abuse after photos of the tortured 15-month-old puppy had gone viral. For those who missed it, the disturbing photos captured the stray chocolate Staffordshire bull terrier mix with electrical tape wrapped tightly around her muzzle. The Post and Courier reports the dog’s tongue was trapped between her teeth, which cut off blood flow to her tongue.
On May 27, the stray dog, affectionately known as “Caitlyn,” was discovered by a local resident and taken to the Charleston Animal Society where the horrific pictures where taken as documentation. Although the dog was normally seen relatively often, residents in the Chicora Cherokee neighborhood stated that she had been missing. Her medical evaluation determined that the electrical tape may have been wrapped around her muzzle for several days.
William L. Dodson has been arrested for taping Caitlyn's muzzle shut. #chsnews #hopeforcaitlyn http://t.co/yYoXNpy01Z pic.twitter.com/UAepBbMsX7
— WCBD News 2 (@WCBD) June 2, 2015
Dr. Lucy Fuller, Senior Director of Veterinary Care, recently released an update regarding Caitlyn’s condition. According to the Daily Mail, the majority of her tongue may have to be removed.
“Caitlyn is in a lot of pain, her condition is critical, and her prognosis is guarded,” Fuller said. “A large part of her tongue may need to be removed surgically if the tissue dies from the lack of blood flow. She may be severely disfigured, or the large amount of dead tissue may cause life-threatening complications.”
Surprisingly, Caitlyn has responded to treatment relatively well. However, it is still too soon to determine how much of the damage is permanent. Dodson is currently being held at the Al Cannon Detention Center on a $50,000 bond. At the time of the arrest, Dodson was already on probation for a firearm charge.
[Images via Charleston Animal Society; Al Cannon Detention Center]
