Woman faces felony after death of dog in triple-digit heat
A woman is facing a felony animal cruelty charge in the death of her dog that police said was left outside her home in northeastern Las Vegas on a leash in triple-digit heat without access to water, food or shade.
Deborah Hagen, 55, was arrested Friday after an investigation into the demise of her dog, Abby, a 10-year-old Scottish terrier, at the Silverado Mobile Home Park at 3401 N. Walnut Road, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Hagen’s neighbors contacted Clark County Animal Protection Services on Thursday about a dog, tied to a porch stairway, that appeared deceased and had no nearby food, water, shelter or shade from the sun, police stated in a report.
When contacted by a police officer, Hagen said that she usually left the dog outside on a leash long enough for it to access water and food bowls under the porch, but the officer reported the leash did not appear long enough and the bowls were both empty.
The dog had been bleeding and looked to have been dead for at least 24 hours and the temperature in Las Vegas on Friday had reached 114 degrees during a four-day excessive heat warning issued by the National Weather Service, police said.
In the arrest report, police wrote that Hagen “willfully and unlawfully exposed her companion animal to extreme heat and sun exposure, on a daily basis, which led directly to what must have been a tortuously excruciating but preventable death.”
“Had Debbie chosen to provide Abby reasonable shelter from the heat with water and food, Abby would likely still be alive,” police stated.
Hagen was released on bail Saturday by Hearing Master Daniel Westmeyer who as a condition ordered her not to possess or control any animals and set a status hearing for Aug. 17, based on court records.
Contact Jeff Burbank at jburbank@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0382. Follow him @JeffBurbank2 on Twitter.
