Two weeks ago, that dog died. The body, however, is still there and Lindemood said that she has been caught in a tangle of bureaucratic red tape and property laws that have so far prevented the removal of the deceased animal.
 |
| A dog house and rope tied to a tree are seen near the body of a dog in the backyard of a home on Shadow Lane in Conroe. According to neighbor Linda Lindemood, the dog has been dead in a backyard, chained to a nearby object since Dec. 6. |
“That poor little dog was malnourished. He was tied to a fence with a cable and you could see his backbone. I called animal control and asked them to come out and see if they could take care of it before it was too late,” she said. “Now he’s dead and he’s still chained to the fence. It breaks my heart.”
According to Lindemood, a representative from animal control came out the week of Nov. 14 in response to her call to check on the welfare of the dog. She said that they checked on the animal, told Lindemood give the owner two to three days to turn the situation around. If, when they checked back, the dog was in the same condition, they would remove the dog from the home.
But animal control has no record of a call from Lindemood the week of Nov. 14. Regarding this case, the only call they have on file is a call that came in Dec. 7, when Lindemood said she called to tell authorities that she believed the dog had died.
“We only have three records of the complainant calling,” said a representative who did not wish to be named, “One in 2006, one in 2010 and one on Dec. 7, 2011, where animal control was dispatched out to a house and the animal was confirmed to be deceased. It was obvious the case of death was starvation because the dog was emaciated.”
Lindemood was adamant, however, that she made the initial call the week of Nov. 14.
“I keep a record of everything,” she said. “And it bothers me because this may have been prevented.”
Tim Holifield, Pct. 3 constable who is also over animal control, said after the death was confirmed, they turned the matter over to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office.
“We notified the sheriff’s office of a possible cruelty investigation,” he said.
The problem now, Lindemood said, is that the dog is still chained to the fence in the back yard, 13 days after it died.
“It’s absolutely heartbreaking,” she said. “I’m losing sleep over it.”
Animal control confirmed that they cannot carry dead animals on the same trucks as live animals, and that they can’t go on to private property to pick up the dog unless they’ve been requested by MCSO to have a necropsy performed on the animal.
“It’s considered trespassing,” said Holifield.
MCSO has not responded to questions as of press time Saturday regarding this particular case and whether animal cruelty was being investigated, however, Holifield said that it was unlikely law enforcement could go on to an individual’s property to retrieve a dead animal.
 |
| The body of a dog is seen in a yard on Shadow Lane in Conroe. According to neighbor Linda Lindemood, the dog has been dead in a backyard, chained to a nearby object since Dec. 6. |
Pat Buzbee, director of Montgomery County Environmental Health Services, said that while they are not allowed to go on to private property to remove the dog, there are health issues related to having a decomposing animal on the property, including flies and disease transfer. The health department, he said, has recourse in matters related to this case in that they can talk with the owner and give them a time frame in which to properly dispose of the animal.
“If the animal isn’t taken care of in that time frame,” said Buzbee, “we will issue them a citation.”
Buzbee said Friday that he believed that someone from his office had spoken to the owner, and that he believed the dog had been removed, but Lindemood said Saturday the dog was still in the back yard.
“All I want is for him to be buried,” she said on Saturday. “That little dog is just sitting there getting rained on; it’s not right. The owner’s walking back and forth from his house to his car, not doing a thing about it. I just want him to be buried. That’s the right thing to do.”
(Courier of Montgomery County - Dec 17, 2011)
