AMSTERDAM – Two city residents were arrested by city police Thursday on felony charges for the alleged abuse of their emaciated puppy, Dolce, who police found on Union Street on Sunday.
Michael Murray, 27, and Jodiann McLeod, 26, both of 33 Union St., were charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony, according to a Police Department news release.
They also were charged with failure to vaccinate, which is a violation of state public health law, and City Code violations for having an unlicensed dog and allowing a dog to run at large.
The suspects will appear at 9 a.m. Tuesday in City Court.
The release said an investigation found Murray and McLeod claimed the dog ran away, but police said the owners didn’t provide food or water for Dolce for several weeks.
The tan female lab-beagle mix is in the custody of the Montgomery County SPCA while she receives treatment.
Dolce this week was suffering from dangerously low sodium levels and tremors. When found, she weighed 24 pounds – about half the normal weight of up to 45 pounds – police said.
