Dog ‘looked like a little skeleton with skin draped over it.’ Florida woman charged
One dog was found lying on a concrete floor covered in blood, feces and urine. It could barely breathe.
The other dog was malnourished and didn’t have the strength to stand, Walton County Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. said in a Facebook post.
The first dog didn’t survive. The other is fighting for her life.
Meanwhile, their owner, 30-year-old Samantha Bishop, was arrested and charged with two felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty.
According to the sheriff’s office, an anonymous tip about animal abuse led them to “the discovery of two dogs in grave condition.”
On Tuesday, a Walton County Animal Control officer and a deputy showed up at a home and tried to make contact with the owner to no avail.
“A dog pen and dogs were located and further investigation revealed two dogs in extreme distress,” the sheriff said in the post.
The first dog, which was a hound, died as the officer tried to give it care.
The second dog was taken to the the Walton County Animal Shelter where it was initially evaluated by Dr. Jay Blackwood.
“She looked like a little skeleton with skin draped over it,” said shelter staff, according to the post. “Her feet had sores and blisters, likely from standing in her own feces and urine. As a dog that should weigh 45-50 pounds, she came in at 29 pounds.”
The dog was named Hope.
Meanwhile, an animal abuse investigator from the Walton County Criminal Investigations Bureau began investigating and determined Bishop was the owner.
“Bishop told investigators she fed and cared for the dogs every day,” the Facebook post said. “The condition of the animals and their living conditions did not corroborate her statements.”
Bishop was released from jail Wednesday after posting a $5,000 bond, jail records showed. She was also ordered not to have any animals.
This story was originally published November 28, 2019 at 6:45 AM.
