Polk County man enters guilty plea in severely emaciated dog case
Updated: 1:47 PM CDT Apr 13, 2021
STACEY: A SAYLOR TOWNSHIP MAN SITS IN THE POLK COUNTY JAIL TONIGHT FACING ANIMAL NEGLECT CHARGES. HIS DOG, JAX, WAS TURNED OVER TO THE ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE OF IOWA. THEY TELL US JAX HAS A LONG ROAD TO RECOVERY. KCCI’S LAUREN JOHNSON IS LIVE WITH THE STORY LAUREN: THAT’S RIGHT WHEN THE , DOG WAS TURNED OVER TO THE ARL, STAFF SAY HE WAS LITERALLY JUST SKIN AND BONES. A LAW PASSED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO COULD HAVE THIS JAX’S OWNER FACING ONE YEAR OF JAIL TIME. THIS IS JAX. HE WAS TAKEN INTO THE CUSTODY OF THE ANIMAL RESCUE LEAGUE ON SATURDAY WEIGHING ONLY 27 POUNDS. THE 10 MONTH OLD, DOBERMAN MIX WAS EXTREMELY MALNOURISHED, HIS TEETH DECAYING AND HIS FUR MATTED WITH FECES. >> ESSENTIALLY HE WAS SKIN AND BONES AT THE TIME WE TOOK HIM IN. LAUREN HE WAS TAKEN FROM HIS : OWNER DWIGHT MCNEAL. , THE 20-YEAR-OLD IS NOW FACING ONE COUNT OF ANIMAL NEGLECT. AND DUE TO A BILL PASSED LAST YEAR, HE COULD SEE JAILTIME. >> HE COULD SERVE UP TO A YEAR IN JAIL. HE COULD FACE A $300 TO A $1,875 FINE. LAUREN: GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW LAST YEAR. IT CREATED HARSHER PENALTIES FOR ANIMAL ABUSERS. >> IF THAT LAW HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW, THIS INDIVIDUAL MAY HAVE NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH THIS OFFENSE LAUREN THE ARL IS ALWAYS HAPPY : TO TAKE IN ANIMALS IN NEED, BUT SITUATIONS LIKE THESE ARE HEART WRENCHING. THE HOPE IS MORE LEGISLATION WILL COME TO ENSURE THE RIGHTS OF IOWA’S ANIMALS. >> WHILE WE’RE GRATEFUL THAT THE LEGISLATURE TOOK A HUGE STEP FORWARD IN PROTECTING IOWA’S ANIMALS, MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE LAUREN: STAFFORD SAYS JAX IS GOING TO RECOVER, BUT THAT’LL HAPPEN SLOWLY. AS FOR MCNEAL, HE IS STILL BEING HELD IN LIEU OF A $300 BOND. REPORTING LIVE IN DES MOIN
Polk County man enters guilty plea in severely emaciated dog case
Updated: 1:47 PM CDT Apr 13, 2021
A man who pleaded guilty to an animal neglect charge has been sentenced to four days in jail.Dwight Alan McNeal, 20, of Saylor Township, was charged with one count of animal neglect in March after his dog Jax arrived at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa severely malnourished.The 10-month-old dog weighed only 27 pounds. He was covered in feces and his teeth were in horrible condition, according to the ARL. He was also infected with worms and fleas.McNeal pleaded guilty to the charges and asked for an immediate sentencing. He was then sentenced to four days in jail, with one day served.Under the new state law that went into effect in July 2020, charges of animal neglect now allow for increased penalties and mental health evaluations if found guilty. Penalties now range from 1-2 years in jail and fines between $315 to $6,250.
DES MOINES, Iowa — A man who pleaded guilty to an animal neglect charge has been sentenced to four days in jail.
Dwight Alan McNeal, 20, of Saylor Township, was charged with one count of animal neglect in March after his dog Jax arrived at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa severely malnourished.
The 10-month-old dog weighed only 27 pounds. He was covered in feces and his teeth were in horrible condition, according to the ARL. He was also infected with worms and fleas.
McNeal pleaded guilty to the charges and asked for an immediate sentencing. He was then sentenced to four days in jail, with one day served.
Under the new state law that went into effect in July 2020, charges of animal neglect now allow for increased penalties and mental health evaluations if found guilty. Penalties now range from 1-2 years in jail and fines between $315 to $6,250.