- Florida, USA -
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office was called about an emaciated dog near a home on M-J Road in Myakka City.
Responding deputies spoke with witnesses but the dog was not on the scene.
While they were there, they heard a single gunshot that had been fired in the area.
Manatee County Animal Services responded to the scene and gained access to the property where they found the dog deceased.
79-year-old KENNETH L. HARWICK (pictured), admitted to shooting the furbaby.
He said the dog was in bad health.
Neighbors told deputies they asked HARWICK why was the dog thin and a neighbor even offered to take the dog to the vet but HARWICK was opposed to that.
Reportedly, HARWICK told the neighbor he wasn’t paying for a vet and that he would take care of the dog himself.
According to Bradenton Herald, deputies first began investigating reports about “a severely emaciated dog” back in January when witnesses took pictures of the dog laying outside HARWICK’s residence.
The pictures were shared on social media in an attempt to find the furbaby’s guardian.
Once witnesses were able to determine that HARWICK was the dog’s guardian, the authorities were contacted.
It breaks my heart that it took so long to track him down and authorities got there too late!
MySunCoast reports that a necropsy performed on the dog revealed rat poison in the system.
On Thursday, April 15, HARWICK was booked into the Manatee County jail for aggravated animal cruelty.
The warrant states: “The defendant’s refusal to seek veterinary care for the dog caused the dog to starve and become emaciated thus causing inexcusable, needless suffering over an extended period of time.”
Online records show the murderer was released after posting a $1,500 bond.
If that dog had been a person, I doubt HARWICK would be walking our streets.
That’s the problem right there!
The killing of an animal MUST be dealt with the same as the killing of a human being!
Life is life whether it comes on legs, paws, or wings!
Shame on you judge!
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