Fort Pierce woman sentenced to 2 years in prison for abandoning dogs in hot, filthy home

A Fort Pierce woman is set to spend two years in prison after she allegedly abandoned her dogs in a scorching hot home for several weeks in the summer of 2022.

A judge sentenced Michele Dovel to two years in prison followed by three years of probation.

Investigators said neighbors called 911 back in July of 2022, saying they had initially thought Michele Dovel moved out of her home with her three dogs weeks prior -- until they heard a dog bark.

A St. Lucie County deputy responded to the scene -- where he walked to the back sliding door and saw two of the dogs peering out of what appeared to be an abandoned home.

Body camera video showed the deputy break the glass door to free the dogs, before he entered the home and saw feces and filth throughout the home. The thermostat showed the house was at 98 degrees.

The officer asked neighbors to bring over food and water for the dogs, Dixie and Coco, who appeared to be significantly malnourished.

"Two of the three are skin and bones. I haven't seen the third one. Hopefully, they're not dead," the deputy is heard saying on the body camera footage. 

A cleaning crew, about a week later, reportedly found the body of the third dog wrapped in a blanket -- appearing to have been dead for at least a month.

In court, Dovel said the dog died before she left the house and that she wrapped it in a blanket with the intention to eventually have it cremated.

Dovel also claimed that she left the house because she was running from a domestic abuse situation.

Her boyfriend, according to investigators, was arrested on domestic abuse charges.

Assistant State Attorney Robert Stone said that there was still no excuse to abandon the dogs without any access to food or water.

Given the domestic abuse situation, Stone said he offered Dovel a plea deal that would cap the sentence at two years. The judge sentenced her to the full two years.

Stone also said the sentencing is a sign that community outcry works.

"It's going to set an example that you cannot do something like this in this county," Lori Boettger with Paws Fur Recovery Dog Rescue said.

Animal activists notably filled the courtroom to show the judge their anger.

"We need to set a precedent," Susan Parry with United for Animals said. "We need a consequence to prevent animal cruelty."

Coco and Dixie are reportedly now back in good health and have since been adopted into loving homes.