BROCKTON, Mass. — The owner of a puppy that was found severely malnourished during a traffic stop in November appeared in court Tuesday for arraignment.
Devin Preeper pleaded not guilty to an animal cruelty charge.
The 27-year-old was stopped for allegedly running a red light on Nov. 24. During the stop, the officer noticed an incredibly underweight puppy in the car.
Katie Anderson took the puppy in after being treated at an emergency facility, which determined if there hadn’t been intervention, the puppy would only have 48 hours left to live. Anderson is the shelter manager at the Animal Protection Center of Southern Massachusetts (APCSM).
“It was just horrifying. Starvation for this dog is the worst I’ve ever seen,” Anderson said. “To watch her get up and try to stand and she just falls. I was terrified of her bones breaking. She had little scars on her front legs so who knows what that was from?” Anderson questioned.
Named by the shelter as ‘Sprout,’ Anderson took the pup, who is about a year old, into her own home.
“The minute I saw her, I knew she wasn’t going anywhere besides with me,” Anderson remembers.
Less than a month later, Sprout has gone from weighing 6 pounds to more than double, now weighing in at 13 pounds.
“She has a lot of advocates for her. She has a massive fan club which is amazing because it’s not just Sprout, it’s animals everywhere that go through this and we will get justice for her and everyone else,” Anderson said.
In court on Tuesday, it was revealed that Preeper initially told law enforcement he had just found the puppy the night prior, but then later told police he had the puppy for several months, but couldn’t care for it due to financial constraints.
Preeper was released on personal recognizance with conditions that he owns no domesticated animals. He’s due back in court on Feb 17.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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