Man Charged With Animal Cruelty After His 2 Dogs Froze to Death

On December 18, tragedy struck when three dogs were left outside of a residential home in Detroit, Michigan — and in the bitter cold, two froze to death. The dogs were emaciated and allegedly lived outdoors. Their guardian has been charged with three counts of killing and torturing an animal, two counts of abandoning and cruelty resulting in death, and one count of animal abandoning and cruelty. He could spend up to seven years in prison.

“It’s heartbreaking. We came across a lot of cases this year,” Chantal Rzewnicki, the founder of a volunteer-run non-profit called the KARENS (aka “K9 Animal Rescue Emergency Networking System”), told WXYZ. “I would say this year has been the worst yet. Last weekend, in the cold spell, we took 12 dogs off properties that were, nobody was there, dogs were outside in crates with no nothing, seven degrees out, bloody paws.”

It’s common sense not to leave a dog outside in freezing temperatures for long periods of time, but many pet parents aren’t aware of just how quickly cold weather can turn dangerous. Even fewer know that leaving a dog in the cold unattended for long periods of time is actually illegal — and in some states, it can even be considered a felony. 

Why is it dangerous to leave dogs in the cold? 

Like humans, dogs are at risk of frostbite if they’re exposed to frigid weather — and it doesn’t even have to be freezing out for frostbite to set in. “Frostbite can develop at temperatures above freezing if there is a severe wind chill or exposure to water,” veterinarian Dr. Bartley Harrison wrote for Kinship. “Without a steady blood supply, cells begin to die off. Water in the exposed tissues can also freeze, causing the cells to rupture.” This results in extreme pain, blisters, swelling, and dead skin or tissue.

Another serious risk is hypothermia. Hypothermia progresses in stages, and “each stage of hypothermia results in worsening the body’s ability to regulate its temperature, maintain brain and heart function, and preserve blood flow,” Dr. Harrison wrote. “Dogs experiencing cold stress will become progressively lethargic, weak, and mentally dull.” Because it slows a pup’s heart rate and breathing, hypothermia can lead to serious results including cardiac failure, coma, and death.

There are legal consequences of leaving dogs out in the cold.

Because of the risk of physical injury, leaving a dog unattended in the cold is considered animal neglect. Neglect is a form of animal cruelty defined by the Animal Legal Defense Fund as “the failure to provide basic care required for an animal to thrive.” Abandonment, hoarding, and failure to provide shelter are all examples of animal neglect. The consequence for these actions vary across the country and according to each specific case. In all 50 states, however, animal neglect is considered at least a misdemeanor — but some states carry more serious charges. 

In Massachusetts, any animal neglect case can be charged as a felony, with a potential prison sentence of up to seven years. Neglect can also be charged as a felony in any case in Oklahoma, where it carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. 

In California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., animal neglect can be considered a felony if the situation results in the death of an animal. Animal neglect is a misdemeanor in Georgia, but it can carry a felony charge if aggravated cruelty is proven or the offense is repeated.

In 2017, Pennsylvania passed Libre’s Law, which specifically made it a misdemeanor to tether a dog outside for more than 30 minutes in temperatures above 90 degrees or below 32 degrees; if a dog dies or is seriously injured, the case may be considered a felony. Many other states have anti-tethering laws, including California, Illinois, and Texas.

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This isn’t an exhaustive list, and each state has its own set of laws regarding animal cruelty. For example, in some states, second convictions of animal cruelty can be considered felonies. In others, a felony may be applied in cases of extremely torturous conditions or when malice and intent can be proven.

To find out your state’s laws regarding animal treatment, you can click around on the University of Michigan’s Animal Legal and Historic Center map.

Remember: If you’re cold, they’re cold.

Regardless of the legal ramifications, leaving an animal outside in the cold is extremely dangerous and cruel. It’s a meme, but it’s true: If you’re cold, they’re cold — bring them inside. If you see an animal abandoned out in low temps, the Humane Society recommends that you “take note of the date, time, exact location, and the type of animal(s) involved and write down as many details as possible about the situation.”

You can then contact your local animal control agency to file a report. Depending on your location, there may be other outreach services available; for example, in New York City, you can call 311 to report animal neglect.