The dog, whose name is Sable, was found in a Dumpster at the Helmsdale Apartment complex Sept. 25th.
According to Kentucky.com, Sable had animal bites on her body that had been left unattended and were seriously infected. Veterinarians estimated the bites were a few days old.
Franklin May of Nicholasville called the animal shelter on Wednesday, Sept. 26, and came to the shelter Thursday, Sept. 27, claiming that the dog was his, according to Mike Cassidy, director of Jessamine County Animal Care and Control.
Authorities verified that the dog belonged to May and filed second-degree animal-cruelty charges against him based on evidence at the apartment complex and an interview with May, Cassidy said.
May voluntarily surrendered ownership rights to Sable to animal control.
At a news conference Monday afternoon at the animal shelter, Cassidy said he could offer no details on the specifics of the interview with May, conducted by animal-control officer Taylor Bourne, except that the results yielded enough evidence to file charges. May did not come to the shelter to turn himself in, Cassidy said.
May had not been arrested as of Monday afternoon; Cassidy said it would be up to the district judge to decide whether the charges warranted an arrest or just a court summons. Cassidy said a background check showed no previous animal-cruelty charges against May, who Cassidy said owns other animals.
While Sable is expected to recover, the bill for treatment for the severe infection is expected to be “quite substantial,” Cassidy said, with veterinarian fees already at around $600 last Friday. Animal control is asking for donations but has only received one gift of $50 as of Monday afternoon, Cassidy said.
Donations can be sent to Jessamine County Animal Care and Control at 120 Fairground Way in Nicholasville. The dog is expected to be available for adoption at the shelter after she has fully recovered.
“Everybody’s really wanting to adopt the animal; we got a lot of calls asking to adopt,” Cassidy said. “On the donation end of things, we haven’t gotten that much help.”
(Jessamine Journal - Oct 1, 2012)
