Athens man indicted for cruelty to puppy

By Joe Johnson

An Athens-Clarke County grand jury has indicted a man who badly neglected his 8-month-old dog.

Sammy Lee Richardson, 63, of Noketchee Drive, was charged with one felony count of aggravated animal cruelty, according to the indictment filed December 2nd in Superior Court.

The indictment stems from Richardson’s arrest in June after an investigation by the Police and Animal Services departments of a complaint that he was badly neglecting the puppy named Marnie, who was being choked by a collar that hadn’t been adjusted as she grew and was tearing into the mix-breed German shepherd’s neck.

An animal control officer reported that immediately upon arriving at Richardson’s property she noticed the odors of infection and decaying flesh from the puppy’s wounds.

And as the officer approached Marnie’s pen she saw a tag hanging from her neck but was unable to see the collar to which it was attached because of how deeply it was embedded in the flesh.

The officer further noted in her report that the pen was littered with empty bowls, paper plates, takeout containers and a bucket of dirty water infested with mosquito larvae.

Marnie was impounded by Animal Services and taken to an animal hospital where it was determined that the wound from the collar was an inch deep and causing the puppy to be in pain,

Richardson was subsequently arrested and later released on $1,300 bail.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on February 16th.

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