LAUDERHILL, Fla. – A 28-year-old Lauderhill woman was arrested Thursday after police said her dog had to be euthanized after it was discovered living in deplorable conditions.
The dog, which Sunrise police said had been neglected for months, was euthanized due to the extent of its injuries.
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The investigation began on March 11 when Lauderhill police were contacted by a supervisor from Broward County Animal Care and Adoption.
The email report detailed a disturbing situation involving the neglect of an animal at a residence near the 1800 block of Northwest 55th Avenue.
Authorities said a dog named Orey was had been tethered outside the home 24 hours a day, was severely underweight, and was wearing a collar so deeply embedded in its neck that it had caused significant injuries.
According to investigators, a man who lived at the home, Jerome McQueen, told police he did not have the financial means to care for Orey or take the dog to a veterinarian. McQueen voluntarily surrendered the dog to animal control officers, requesting that the dog be euthanized. The request was approved, given the extent of the dog’s suffering.
Weeks of Suffering and Neglect
Animal control officers had visited the home on March 10, the day before they officially intervened.
During the visit, authorities said Orey was tethered with a chain to what appeared to be an old, rusted weight set.
The dog was visibly malnourished, scoring a 2 out of 9 on the body condition scale, authorities said. Her stress level was also high, marked at 4 out of 5. Investigators observed large open sores on Orey’s neck, which appeared to be oozing pus, according to an arrest report.
The owners told police they believed the sores were caused by an iguana bite, but admitted that Orey had been in this condition for about two weeks, the report stated. Despite her deteriorating health, they had not sought medical attention for the dog, according to the report.
Upon a second visit, another animal control officer discovered that Orey’s collar was severely embedded, and the dog needed immediate medical care, authorities said.
Police said the teenage son of the pet owner unhooked the chain from Orey’s collar and carried the dog to the animal control truck, but was reportedly unwilling to get his hands dirty and nearly dropped the dog several times. Orey was eventually taken to a local animal shelter, where she was ultimately euthanized due to her condition.
Details of Neglect Emerge
The case grew more troubling as officers continued to investigate the dog’s living conditions.
Authorities reported finding blood on the patio floor, though the residents claimed it was from iguanas. After examining Orey, officers found not one but two collars deeply embedded into the dog’s neck, cutting over an inch into the skin.
Police described the wounds as being infected, with a pungent odor emanating from the area.
“The entire circumference of the dog’s neck had an injury with a strong odor of infection,” officers wrote in the report.
Authorities said the dog’s wound was moist, and the oozing pus had soaked into the dog’s fur on its neck, chest and shoulders. Orey was also severely underweight, with her ribs, hips and spine clearly visible, police confirmed.
Witnesses told investigators that the dog had been chained outside the home for approximately nine months to a year, according to police. They said Orey was rarely walked and that her condition had worsened over time. Neighbors would occasionally give her food after hearing her barking in apparent pain, the report stated.
Caretaker Admits to Neglect
The investigation eventually revealed that Alison Marie Arthur, who lived at the home, was Orey’s primary caretaker, authorities said.
According to authorities, she told police that Orey had once lived inside the home but was moved outdoors after biting her teenage son. Arthur admitted that she had tried to remove one of the dog’s leather collars, but it had become too tight and she was unable to take it off, according to investigators.
Police said despite noticing the open wounds caused by the collar, Arthur said she did not believe the dog needed veterinary care. Instead, she claimed she poured hydrogen peroxide on the wounds, but did nothing further to help the dog, the report stated.
Police said Arthur told officers that Orey had been chained to the weight set for about three months, but she seemed unsure of what constituted a normal weight for a dog, despite the visible signs of severe malnourishment.
Jail records show that Arthur was arrested Thursday and is now facing one count of aggravated animal cruelty causing cruel death or pain and suffering.
As of Friday, she was being held at the Broward Main Jail, where her bond was set at $15,000.
As of the time of publishing, authorities had not confirmed whether any charges would be brought against McQueen.
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