Officials Share Information After Lost Dog Found in "Poor Condition"
- Nathan Springfield
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
KNOX COUNTY, Ind. (We Are Knox County) - Officials are speaking with WAKC News Now as the condition in which a lost dog was found sparks conversation on social media.
According to the Vincennes Animal Shelter and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, the dog was last seen on March 14.
On March 25, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a dog found near Bruceville, described as being in poor condition.
A sheriff's deputy responded and took the dog to the Vincennes Animal Shelter, where it was later evaluated by a veterinarian.
“He was in grave condition. He was emaciated, dehydrated, very weak, could not stand more than a few seconds and he was very off balance when he did stand,” said Vincennes Animal Shelter Director Leah Reagan.
Reagan says staff evaluated the dog’s body condition using a standardized scale.
“The Nestle Scale for Body Condition on Dogs is a scale from one to nine – nine being an obese dog, one being near death. Four to five is about where you want a dog to be. This dog was probably a one or one and a half,” Reagan said.
Reagan says the veterinarian who evaluated the dog identified malnourishment, hookworms, and some neurological concerns, but no other underlying conditions.
Reagan says based on the dog’s condition and available veterinary history, she considers this a case of neglect.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says its investigation reached a different conclusion.
Knox County Sheriff Doug Vantlin provided a statement to WAKC News Now.
“Deputies investigated the dog’s living conditions and found that the animal appeared to be well cared for and treated as a member of the family,” Sheriff Vantlin said.
In the statement, Sheriff Vantlin says the dog had access to food and water and weighed about 10 pounds less than its recorded weight at the time of adoption.
The statement says deputies consulted with the Indiana State Veterinarian’s Office as part of the investigation.
Reagan says that consultation did not include an in-person evaluation at the shelter.
Sheriff Vantlin says the veterinarians who treated the dog reported that while the dog’s appearance in photos could suggest neglect, they found no signs or evidence of prior neglect.
“The vet clinic also stated that the dog was an older dog and because of the breed, was thin furred, and thin-skinned. Being without food, water, having hookworms, and changes in weather weather from hot to cold, cold to hot, it was possible for the dog to have lost ten pounds and appear to be in poor condition,” Sheriff Vantlin said.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office says a report was submitted to the Knox County Prosecutor’s Office.
In a statement, Knox County Prosecutor Dirk Carnahan says no crime occurred and no prosecution is allowed under state law in this case.
The statement also says the dog must be returned to its family under Indiana law.
At the time of this report, the dog remains at the Vincennes Animal Shelter, where it continues to receive care.
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