Search Weight Loss Topics:




Nov 27

Police dispatcher, former Ross County corrections officer charged with animal cruelty – Chillicothe Gazette

Long Term Weight Loss Comments Off on Police dispatcher, former Ross County corrections officer charged with animal cruelty – Chillicothe Gazette

Sarge, a 5-year-old German shepherd, was placed in the care of the Ross County Humane Society after he was found to be 47 pounds. He is currently in the care of an employee and is awaiting more test results until he can be adopted.(Photo: Provided by the Ross County Humane Society)

CHILLICOTHE A former Ross County corrections officer and current dispatcher for the Greenfield Police Department is facing charges related to animal cruelty in Chillicothe.

Jessica M.Malone, 22, of 767 Hopetown Road, is charged with failure to license and two cruelty charges of torture and failure to provide medical care in a timely manner. All are misdemeanor charges.The charges stem from Malone's alleged treatment of her 5-year-oldGerman shepherd, Sarge, who was discovered nearly 30 pounds underweight.

"There is no reasonable explanation for letting a dog become in this condition," said Ross County Humane Society Director Jenn Thomas. "There is no reason that I can think of that one would wait until their dog has almost no body fat, every rib showing and collapsing to seek out medical care."

On Nov. 11, Malone took Sarge to Tharp Animal Health Care Center in Chillicothe after she allegedly told veterinarian staff that he had suddenly collapsed. Malone also allegedly claimed that Sarge's weight loss had occurred over two days and she was in the process of switching food to encourage him to eat. After examining the dog, Dr. Thomas Tharp called the Ross County Humane Society over concerns about Sarge's current physical state and potential neglect, according toThomas.

Nearly 30 pounds underweight, Sarge, a German shepherd, rests after he was rescued by the Ross County Humane Society. Shelter staff had to create makeshift slings to help the dog walk because he was too weak to do so on his own.(Photo: Provided by the Ross County Humane Society)

At the time of the appointment, Sarge weighed only 47 pounds and could not stand on his own. The veterinarian's office advised that there was no medical reason for the dog to be in such poor body condition and the Ross County Dog Warden took possession of Sarge with the intention to proceed with cruelty charges.

Sarge remained at Dr. Tharp's office under medical supervision until Nov. 13. At that point, he was still unable to walk or stand on his own. The humane society took Sarge to North Fork Animal Clinic for a second opinionand for documentation as the charges were pending against Malone.

Thomas said that at the second vet's office, bloodwork, x-Rays and more physical examinations were performed. All of which found there was no immediate medical reason for Sarge's body condition.The Ross County Humane Society was able to confirm with a canine trainer that Sarge was being trained by him to become a search and rescue dog. He was scheduled to take his certification this week.

"It is our opinion that this did not occur over the span of two to three days. This was long term, improper care," Thomas said. "The fact that [Malone] has never once owned a dog but was training this one to be a search and rescue animal despite never taking him to the vet is also very concerning and very out of the ordinary for trained service animals."

Aggravated robbery:Chillicothe man arrested in incident at Dunham's Sporting Goods

Mayor Feeney: Review of city use of force policy complete

Malone allegedly told the veterinarian that the dog lost weight three days before she took him to be looked at.However, she was told by the trainer prior to that that Sarge was looking thin and she should go see if a vet if his weight loss continued. Malone allegedly admitted that since she had obtained the dog, believed to be in May, he had never been examined by a veterinarian.

Sarge is currently being fostered by an employee of the Ross County Humane Society. After only two days on a prescription food refeeding program which consists of 1/4 cup of food every two hours so that the body does not become overwhelmed by overeating Sarge was able to walk on his own, use the bathroom, respond to commands and eat. Since he was taken in, Sarge has gained about 10 pounds.

"Weare unsure of what long-term damage has been done both physically and mentally as a result of his lack of appropriate medical care and emaciation and we are unsure of what his personality is going to be like once he has recovered," Thomas said. "He is currently exhibiting some concerning behavior towards his caretakers, but we are going to allow him time to fully recover to make sure that he will be healthy and safe to adopt out.We often do not see the true dogs personality when they are sick and as they recover, we are better able to assess them for behavioral soundness."

The Ross County Humane Society was contacted Nov. 11 by a local vet regarding an emaciation case. Sarge, a German shepherd, is supposed to weigh at least 75 pounds. When he was rescued, he weighed 47 pounds.(Photo: Provided by the Ross County Humane Society)

Malone is currently employed as a dispatcher with the Greenfield Police Department, whichconfirmed her job status. They did not comment as to if Malone will face disciplinary actions but stated that Sarge is not affiliated with the police department. Captain Mike Preston with the Ross County Sheriff's Office confirmed Malone was employed as a corrections officer in the jail from May 2018 to July 2019 and from January 2020 to August 2020.

The Ross County Humane Society has spent over $1,200 to provide care for Sarge but Thomas said they're still awaiting the final bill from both veterinarian offices. The Ross County Humane Society has already raised over $4,000 to help cover the costs of care.

Sarge is not currently available for adoption and Thomas believes it will be some time before the case is able to go to court. To see other dogs available for adoption, please visithttps://www.rosscountyhumanesociety.org/.

Malone is set to appear in courtDec. 4

Have a story tip or comment?Contact Toria at tbarnhart@gannett.com or 740-349-1106. Follow her on Twitter @ToriaBarnhart.

Read or Share this story: https://www.chillicothegazette.com/story/news/2020/11/25/former-ross-county-corrections-officer-charged-animal-cruelty/6312707002/

Read the original post:
Police dispatcher, former Ross County corrections officer charged with animal cruelty - Chillicothe Gazette

Related Posts

    Your Full Name

    Your Email

    Your Phone Number

    Select your age (30+ only)

    Select Your US State

    Program Choice

    Confirm over 30 years old

    Yes

    Confirm that you resident in USA

    Yes

    This is a Serious Inquiry

    Yes

    Message:



    matomo tracker