A Phoenix woman has been charged with animal cruelty after Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and his wife Nicki rescued the woman’s pup.
According to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, on August 26th at approximately 11:30 a.m., while traveling in the area of I-10 and Skyline Road, the Sheriff and his wife spotted an elderly and vision impaired dog walking down the exit ramp.
The Dannels rescued the shaken dog and turned it over to an Animal Control officer who discovered the dog had a microchip which identified the last registered owner, 62-year-old Karen Black, of Maricopa County.
Numerous calls and messages were left for Black by Animal Control personnel, but she did not respond.
Finally, on the afternoon of September 6th, after Sheriff Dannels and Community Outreach Supervisor Sergeant Ray McNeely had attended a community event in Phoenix, they decided to follow up on their investigation and attempt to locate Black.
They found her at her home in central Phoenix.
Black’s initial story was believed to be misleading. She allegedly claimed she was never in Cochise County. Eventually, Black admitted to leaving the dog alongside I-10 including failing to notify law enforcement and ignoring officers’ attempts to reach out to her.
Black was charged with Cruelty to Animals and is due back in court date later this month in Cochise County to address the charge.
The dog is being held at a shelter until the criminal case is adjudicated.