Months after a severely injured and malnourished dog that was possibly chained up for months had to be euthanized, the Lauderhill woman who was supposed to be taking care of the dog has been arrested.
Alison Marie Arthur, 28, was arrested Thursday on charge of animal cruelty causing death, pain or suffering to an animal, records showed.
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According to an arrest report, authorities believe the dog, Orey, suffered for an extended period of time leading up to March 10, when Broward County Animal Control was responded to a home on Northwest 55th Avenue for reports of "a dog being tied up 24/7 without food and water."
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Orey was found tethered by a chain to what appeared to be an old rusted weight set and had large open sores on her neck along with pus oozing from a wound, the report said.
"It was advised that the dog might have been bitten by an iguana and that's what caused the sores," the report said. "The entire circumference of the dog's neck had injury with pungent odor of infection."
Orey also was underweight with ribs, hips and spine visible, the report said.
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Investigators were told Orey's neck had been like that for around two weeks, and the dog had a severely embedded collar and needed immediate treatment.
Arthur's father said he didn't have the funds and was unable to put the dog in his car to take him to a vet because it was unsanitary, the report said.
"Due to the extent of the injuries and the inability to take the dog to the vet, it was an owner surrender, with a request for euthanasia," the report said. "The request was authorized."
Investigators were told the dog had bit a child in the home a few months after they acquired Orey, and the dog had been chained to the weights ever since.
One witness said the dog was outside on the chain for around nine months to a year, stayed on the patio and was not walked.
The witness said Orey was not fed on a regular basis and was fighting to get off the chain.
One neighbor fed the dog, and could tell the dog was in pain, the report said.
Arthur was interviewed by investigators and said she was the primary caretaker of the dog, and said she'd acquired Orey from a random person online, the report said.
She said Orey was kept inside until Orey bit Arthur's son, and was not chained until she got loose from the patio and had been chained for around three months, the report said.
Arthur also said Orey was not in the sun on the patio and was given food and water everyday, the report said.
She also said she would pour hydrogen peroxide on the wounds everyday but Orey wouldn't let her remove the collars, the report said.
The report said Arthur's treatment of Orey resulted in "excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering."
Arthur was booked into jail and appeared in court Friday, where her bond was set at $15,000. She was also ordered not to possess any pets.
