A former Monroe County sheriff’s deputy has been arrested and charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty for the willful neglect of a dog, authorities said.
Dekota Dobbs was placed on administrative leave on June 11 and then resigned, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Allison Selman-Willis said in a news release. She said Dobbs was arrested Monday and was free on bond.
A deputy had gone to a home rented by Dobbs after neighbors complained on June 10 about a neglected dog inside, Selman-Willis said.
The investigating deputy found an “emaciated lab/pit bull mix dog that was covered with fleas,” according to the release.
Dobbs told the deputy that he fed the dog twice a day and that the dog was current on all vaccinations but would not gain weight, Selman-Willis said. A large bag of dog food was found in the pantry of the house.
The deputy contacted a veterinarian who had treatment and vaccinations records for the dog, according to the release, and the vet said the dog was last in his office in May 2014 and had never had full treatment for roundworms.
The dog was sent to Monroe County Animal Control on June 11 and was taken to a vet for examination and treatment. The vet said the dog had less than 5 percent body fat and that its condition was due to lack of nutrition.
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