Aaron Armstrong is being held on $15,000 bail at Lincoln County Jail. He was arrested last Thursday, two days after a local veterinarian X-rayed the dog to try and determine why she had bumps all over, under her skin. News of the injured dog went viral last Wednesday, after PenBayPilot.com got a tip about her plight via Facebook, and Armstrong was arrested the next day.
Armstrong has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and violating conditions of release. According to documents on file at Lincoln County Superior Court in Wiscasset, Armstrong had been previously arrested for operating under the influence and was on conditions of release when he was charged with cruelty to animals.
Waldoboro Animal Control Officer Laurice Ducharme last week said she picked the dog up as a stray from a residence on Orrfs Corner Road less than two weeks ago.
Ducharme said the dog was very friendly and showed no signs of mistreatment. Lincoln County Animal Shelter workers became concerned about bumps they discovered on the dog's face and body. They questioned whether the bumps were bug bites or dog acne, and if it was possible infection had settled in, though the dog did not exhibit any symptoms or discomfort.
The dog was held for 10 days and when nobody stepped forward as her owner, she was put up for adoption and a South Bristol resident expressed interest. That prompted an appointment with Boothbay Animal Hospital to have Lady spayed, and it's at that point a veterinarian began looking into the cause of the bumps and if treatment would be necessary before surgery.
Ducharme said Xrays showed a smattering of dozens of BB pellets – at least 39 to her neck and face alone - setting the wheels in motion for a vigorous investigation into who caused the dog's injuries.
According to an affidavit on file at the courthouse in Wiscasset, Waldoboro Police Detective Jason Benefield was assigned to follow-up on Lady's case and he received information that Armstrong was possibly her owner.
In the report, Benefield said he and Chief Bill Labombarde went to Armstrong's residence on Orffs Corner Road, located in the vicinity of where Ducharme had picked up Lady as a stray.
"Armstrong advised [Detective Benefield] that he saw the news and the black Labrador belonged to him," said the officer in the report.
Armstrong allegedly surrendered a BB/pellet gun he had also allegedly hidden in his attic along with containers of BBs and pellets, according to the court document.
"Armstrong said he hid the gun and ammunition in his attic after seeing the news the day before. Armstrong also said he shot the black Labrador behind his house or wherever the dog happened to be while he was extremely intoxicated," said the officer in the report. "He said the dog was not responding to training and when he drank he became angry with the dog."
Armstrong appeared in court June 14, but the court clerk said there is no information on file yet on when his next court date is or what his bail conditions are, should he post bail.
(PenBayPilot.com - June 17, 2013)
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