A Slidell woman pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges after a dog with no legs was found abandoned in a trailer park.
St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Warren Montgomery announced today, that Lynette Victor, 51, pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals, in a case about “Buddy” the dog.
Deputies arrested Victor last September after authorities found “Buddy” a mixed Dachshund-Chihuahua, abandoned and suffering from malnutrition and internal parasites. The dog also was missing its two hind legs and was dragging itself when it walked.
According to the D.A. press release, “Victor told investigators that the dog, who belonged to her daughter, had been shot by an unknown person in February and had begun dragging his legs. The mother and daughter took him to a veterinarian but were not able to afford the recommended treatment, and the veterinarian sent them home with prescribed medication and instructions to wrap the dog’s legs. The daughter created a “Go Fund Me” campaign to assist with the dog’s medical care but was unable to generate any funding.”
Victor says her daughter was in charge of taking care of the dog. Her daughter says she must have wrapped the dog’s legs too tightly in bandages, causing the legs to fall off.
“We are happy that we achieved justice in this case,” Montgomery said. “We were all outraged, as you were, by the criminal mistreatment of Buddy, which is why we pursued the most serious charge warranted by the facts of the case. We appreciate the judge’s order that the defendant may not own or possess an animal as a part of her sentence. We also urge would-be pet owners to consider the major responsibilities of owning and taking care of a pet properly before bringing a pet into your life. We are thankful for the tremendous community support and concern for Buddy, who is now doing well.”
“Buddy” is now with a new family. He is now mobile thanks to a specialized wheel chair.
