Friday, November 30, 2012

Iowa: Woman says repairman beat her small Poodle mix; prosecutors refuse to file animal cruelty charges

IOWA -- A woman is struggling to make her case that a workman beat her dog.

Peggy Babcock told KETV-TV that she kenneled her dog, Jack, before she left the house Nov. 1.

She later received a phone call from the repairman her landlord had hired saying that the job was done, but she had to come home.

“He says, 'Ma’am, I have to apologize. I’m really worried about your dog,’” Babcock said.

Babcock said the man told her the 22-pound poodle mix attacked him, so he hit the it with a stake.


Jack was bloodied and beaten when Babcock returned home.

“He left him there to die,” Babcock said.

Babcock filed a report with the Omaha Police Department, but authorities said charging the workman with animal cruelty charges would be nearly impossible to prosecute.

Mark Langan with the Nebraska Humane Society said there wasn't enough probable cause for a felony or misdemeanor animal cruelty charge because the workman said it was self-defense.

“The only witness to that incident is the suspect himself, who indicates he was defending himself. It would have been tough for us to go to court and prove otherwise,” Langan said.

Omaha police are seeking a destruction of property offense, but the County Attorney's Office has yet to sign off on it.

Jack is left without an eye, but he will be fine.

Babcock said she won't be fine until the hired workman is held accountable.

“He's evil, and I think he needs to go to jail. I think he needs to be charged,” Babcock said.

(KCCI - Nov 29, 2012)