The poor pooch also had an infection in both her ears, swollen gums and was infested with parasites, according to a news release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office.
The dog's owner, Ynid Marie Fitzwilliams, 48, denied owning the dog, saying Lagniappe belonged to a male acquaintance. However, Fitzwilliams refused to provide a name or contact information for the acquaintance. Court documents later confirmed she had owned the dog for years, records state.
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| Ynid Marie Fitzwilliams |
[They should also be charging her with hindering an investigation/tampering with evidence for having lied about this "male acquaintance".]
When Fitzwilliams was a no-show at an ex parte petition for animal cruelty hearing to determine if she was fit to have custody of the animal, a warrant was issued for her arrest.
Now she gets to stay in the dog pound.
And there is some good news: Lagniappe appears to be on the mend, eating ravenously after being taken in by PAWS and gained more than six pounds, according to a deputy.
[The probable cause narrative stated that the dog was weak and stumbling when she tried to walk. The dog gained 6.2-lbs almost immediately after being rescued from the Defendant.]
(Sun Sentinel - Feb 26, 2012)
