BREAWNA FAYTHE-DESEA AUSTIN accused of tying her dog’s back legs and burying her alive
- voiceforus
- Apr 10, 2022
- 2 min read
- Missouri, USA -
On Sunday, March 20, a couple of hikers and their dog found an emaciated dog near the Juden Creek Conservation Area in Cape Girardeau.
The dog, a female Labrador retriever mix, had her back legs zip tied together.
When the couple cut the zip tie, they realized that the tie had caused deep wounds to her legs and took the furbaby to Southeast Missouri Pets.
Staff scanned the dog for a microchip and it turned out that she was the same dog who had been brought in as a stray on February 18, 2022, by Animal Control after they found her running at large. She was limping and it was suspected she had been hit by a car.
The furbaby’s name is Pepper.
Southeast Missouri Pets explained in a Facebook post that they microchip all furbabies who are brought in so, when Pepper was brought in in February, they microchipped her.
On February 18, the same day that Pepper had been picked up, 19-years-old BREAWNA FAYTHE-DESEA AUSTIN (pictured) went to Southeast Missouri Pets and claimed Pepper.
Staff advised AUSTIN that Pepper needed to be taken to the vet and AUSTIN promised she would.
When an employee with Southeast Missouri Pets sent AUSTIN a message to check on Pepper, AUSTIN told her that Pepper had died. According to Southeast Missouri Pets, AUSTIN even posted on Facebook that Pepper had passed away.
Between February and March, when Pepper was found by the hikers, she had lost nearly 20 pounds!
As Southeast Missouri Pets wrote in a Facebook post: “There is no fat left on this poor girl, even her head is sunken in.”
The zip tie caused a severe laceration and the wound went around approximately 60% to 70% of Pepper’s leg and had cut so deep that either bone or connective tissue within the wound was visible.
The shelter immediately contacted the Cape Girardeau Police Department and officer Zachary Lewis arrested AUSTIN, of Chaffee, on March 20.
According to the probable-cause statement, AUSTIN agreed to talk to officer Lewis without an attorney present and told him that on the morning of Saturday, February 19, she woke up and found Pepper dead. AUSTIN said she took Pepper out to a pond near Cape Rock and buried her.
AUSTIN “stated she was 100 percent positive Pepper was dead when she buried her”, reported officer Lewis.
AUSTIN “denied knowing anything about the zip ties.”
The Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney has charged AUSTIN with felony animal abuse.
Southeast Missouri Pets said that Pepper is receiving excellent veterinary care and she is currently in a foster home “where she is being pampered and loved and fed.”
Once the court proceedings allow and she has recovered, Pepper will be placed for adoption.
Court records show that AUSTIN is scheduled to be back in court on April 13, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Frank Emanuel Miller.
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Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
Pepper’s pictures shared from Southeast Missouri Pets via Facebook
Additional sources:
Another disgusting lying POS dog abuser! This trash tank must not be allowed to ever be around let alone be the ‘guardian’ of any animal for the rest of her pathetic life! Pepper, please get better & hopefully you will find a loving furever home & be loved the rest of your life!