Dog Dumping Suspect Gets Arrested As Valiant Pup Starts Recovery
A woman who allegedly was caught red-handed dumping her dog on a Greene Country Road is charged with animal neglect and recently put in jail. According to News Leader, Ashley Nicole Devine, 26, was accused of dog dumping — otherwise known as pet abandonment — and neglect on Friday, July 13. Devine was caught on camera leaving her female lab mix pet at the side of a road in Greene County, Missouri.
Glenn Blake recorded Devine’s act with his security camera and immediately contacted the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. In the video, Devine is seen leaving a medium-sized brown dog at the side of the road. Later, that dog can be seen chasing after Devine’s vehicle.
Blake applauds Deputy Turner and the adoption agency worker from Rescue One for saving the lab mix. After receiving the call from Blake, Deputy Turner searched for the pup and took care of her before releasing her to a Rescue One employee.
According to Jeremy Tuck, Rescue One’s media coordinator, the dog was later identified as Hope. By the time Deputy Turner had found Hope, she was dehydrated and burned paws from running on the hot pavement where she was left by Devine.
Based on the Stray Pet Advocacy website, Devine could be charged with a Class C Misdemeanor for animal neglect and abandonment under the animal cruelty laws of Missouri. She could be fined up to $500 and/or 15 days imprisonment.
Devine’s sentence could be worse if any evidence of abuse is found, which would be classified as a Class A Misdemeanor. Anyone charged with animal abuse could be fined up to $1000 and/or face up to 1 year in prison. A subsequent conviction of animal torture and mutilation could bring the Class A Misdemeanor to a Class D Felony. If a person is charged with animal torture or mutilation the fine is $500 which seems to be added to the USD$1,000 for the animal abuse charge. A Class D conviction could also land a pet owner in prison for up to 5 years.
Today I met the sweetest pup from the saddest video sweeping across the Ozarks.
This is Hope, the dog dumped by her owner in Springfield.
She’s now safe at Rescue One. ?
If you have any info, please contact the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. pic.twitter.com/33NtA0OWFE— Nikki Faith (Ogle) (@NikkiRaeFaith) July 12, 2018
Devine’s actions is heartbreaking for dogs and pet lovers everywhere. Unfortunately, Hope shares the same fate of thousands of pets in the United States, reported Care2. Based on a Huffington Post article, most of the reasons pet owners choose to abandon their pets are related to behavior, such as the hyperactivity of their dog.
It must be noted that majority of abandoned dogs or pets don’t get the second chance Hope did, who was placed in a foster home. Even though some pets are left at shelters, the likelihood of their survival is still slim because 30 percent of unadopted animals in shelters are eventually euthanized.
