The dead puppy was found on the sidewalk in the 500 block of Oak Street on March 31.
Court Commissioner Daniel Bissett postponed the hearing and at Hutcherson's lawyer's request ordered Hutcherson to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
People crowded into the hallway of the Oshkosh Public Safety Building prior to the 9 a.m. hearing, but not all those who arrived were allowed into the small courtroom due to lack of space. A group of concerned citizens set up shop in the hall with a stack of neatly folded T-shirts, each tied with a red ribbon. They said the proceeds would go to the animal food pantry at the Oshkosh Area Humane Shelter.
Pask and her friends slipped their T-shirts on over their other clothing. The message on the shirts said "Support Gabriel" and each one bore a sketch of a pit bull and the words "Animal Neglect" underneath.
Gabriel was the name given to the puppy by the Oshkosh Area Human Shelter immediately following his death. After police received a tip from an informant they learned the owners had named the dog Snoop.
On March 29, the dog was in the kennel, shaking and had feces covering its coat and hind legs, the informant said.
An examination of the dog after death determined it had died from systematic organ failure due to extreme malnutrition complicated by dehydration and exposure.
After police found the dead dog they circulated photographs to the media in an attempt to find the owner. The photos depicted a severely emaciated dog, with all its bones clearly visible under its glossy coat.
"It was wrong that he was starved to death. Animal cruelty is wrong," Pask said. "If a dog is too expensive to feed why not give it to someone instead of leaving it in the living room and watching it waste away?"
Her friend, Julie Watson of Oshkosh, said she came to the hearing to "stand up" for the dog. "I hope the court can control (Hutcherson) from ever having a pet again, but that's probably not possible."
Hutcherson's age is no excuse, said Tamara Mortensen of Rosendale. "A 19-year-old should know enough to feed an animal. Animals are defenseless. They need us."
Police executed a search warrant April 1, and spoke to Hutcherson and his girlfriend, who both identified the dead dog as their dog Snoop.
Hutcherson told police he bought the dog four months earlier and had kept him in a kennel at the residence. He fed him for the first three weeks, but decided to stop because it was too stressful and cost too much money, according to the criminal complaint.
Hutcherson was charged April 4, with mistreatment of animals causing death, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of three years and six months in prison and $10,000 in fines.
Bissett ordered the competency evaluation be done within 15 days. He denied a request from Keberlein to remove the cash bond of $1,000 because Hutcherson has limited ties to the community and could be deemed a flight risk.
The cash bond represents the minimum amount to insure his continued appearances at future proceedings, Bissett said.
Deputy District Attorney Scott Ceman said charges are pending against Hutcherson's girlfriend.
(The Northwestern - April 15, 2011)
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