Andrea Rosebrock 
What a damn shame that laws are not sufficient to charge someone with animal cruelty or neglect after their dog is almost cut in half after they leave a harness on it and it grows out of it.
Dana Jones will be getting off scott-free after Bartholomew County prosecutor Bill Nash has decline to file charges because he says there is no law on the books to cover this specific case of neglect.
“No reasonable person would say this is not neglect that resulted in these particular injuries,” said Nash. “There is nothing in this statute that would allow me to charge someone with neglect to animal by placing a harness on the dog when it was young and then not loosening it when it grew, there’s nothing that would allow that.”
“So we can’t file a charge that we certainly would have, have there not been a change in the law,” said Nash.
Due to the too specific language in the current law, changed in 2007, he could not press charges.
The puppy, named Benjamin by Johnson County animal control workers, was supposed found wandering near Edinburgh in Johnson County, Indiana on August 5th.
Dana Jones brought the puppy into the shelter claiming that she found the puppy but investigation turned up the fact the she was the owner of the puppy.
She placed a harness on the puppy when he was smaller and never adjusted or removed it as he grew.
“His condition was pretty serious. He had a very deep gash circling his abdomen,” said Animal Control Officer Mike Delp in Johnson County. “The harness dug into the animal as the animal grew larger.”
Now the only charge Jones will be facing is that of lying to the police.
Luckily Benjamin is recovering from his ordeal and because Jones surrendered him at least he won’t have to face going back!
Laws need to be changed and it needs to happen ASAP! This poor dog suffered and suffered greatly and his abuser is going to walk away. There’s no excuse for either the abuse/neglect or the fact that nothing can be done about it!
I feel that the nation should make stiffer laws and penalties for anyone neglecting, abusing or killing an animal. This woman needs to seek some help with mental health issues. Who in their right mind would no loosen or take the damn harness off if she knew the puppy would grow? GRRRRRRRR
@Susie – I think the key words there are ‘in their right mind’. The puppy was about 7 months old when brought in and I have no clue how anyone could ignore such a thing for a day let alone how ever long it took for this to happen! Total lack of heart and caring.
The Bartholomew County Prosecutor (Bill Nash) is a disgrace. They just don’t want to take the time to prosecute this woman. They probably got heat about filing charges on a single mother with 7 kids and 2 jobs. I’m sure, in his mind, it doesn’t make good politics.
Here is the Indiana Code on Animal Cruelty.
http://www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title35/ar46/ch3.html
I think “Mutilate” covers it. But then again, I’m not a cowardly Prosecutor.
i have 0 faith in our justice system!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it stinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..lol and they want ME for jury duty 9/3…Ha!!!!!!!!!!
look very closely & remember this face…this is a monster pictured in a blue shirt..
she should not be free & walking around..
she should be living under the jail where she belongs.
Our justice system is rotten..I put no faith in it nor in men who supposedly serve to uphold it!!
What kind of ridicoulous nonsense did this person spout when they said that there is no charge for not removing an out grown halter???
What a minute?? I just re-read this part.
She has 7 kids???!! I don’t care if she does have 7 kids, her income is supplemented by the govt. No can take care of 7 kids financially without making over 100k a year or more.
Good Grief..Not only does she commite horrible Animal Cruely, she also breeds like there is no tomorrow!!
Get this women to a clinic & end her baby breeding days
ASAP!!
“there is no law on the books to cover this specific case of neglect.”
THEN THEY NEED 2 MAKE ONE!!!!! this is such a crock!!