A Southern California woman who allegedly abandoned a dog with a 42-pound cancerous tumor has been charged with life-threatening animal abuse and neglect.
Sherri Haughton of Newport Coast was charged Wednesday with four misdemeanors that carry a potential two-year jail sentence.
A call to a woman of that name wasn’t answered Wednesday night.
Orange County prosecutors say Haughton dropped off her 7-year-old golden retriever, Henry, at an animal hospital in May and claimed she’d found him on a beach.
Before it was removed, Henry’s stomach tumor had nearly doubled his body weight. He’s now living with a foster family and receiving cancer treatment.
Officials say owners who can’t afford to treat their pets can turn them over to animal control or welfare agencies, which can foot the bill.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
No proof she lied. She may not have known what to do. This discourages others from trying to do right by animals.
Please put this poor dog out of his misery. I love my pets but…..The canine chemo scam is bilking billions of dollars that would be better spent on taking care of humans health care needs. This is insane. The whole pet products industry has gone overboard.
Why put him out of his misery? He’s doing well with treatment. How cruel of you to make that statement. God put those creatures on earth for us to take care of, not to kill them if they get sick. I hope you have no pets.
Shame on you.
I have another option: If you would get cancer, your next of kin might say: Just put her out of her misery! The health care industry is just bilking billions out of us..
How do you like ‘them apples?
If you have Obamacare that is exactly what will happen.
I hope she moves to a state where euthanasia is legal. Then when she gets sick she can be ”put out of her misery”.
Animals deserve the same kind of treatment and care as people. I would rather my money be spent on animals who appreciate help.
My brother and sister-in-law have had dogs most of their 45+ years together. They weren’t able to have children, so their dogs filled that gap. They would skip their own medical needs (and did just that many times) before they would let their pets go without veterinary treatment. Their dogs were just like their children. Parents do without so that their kids have what they need.
IF it was her dog, I don’t think her failure was necessarily criminal … depends on the situation. She may have been ignorant or elderly, loved the dog very much (and it, her), she maybe had no money for surgery, was afraid they’d just put it to sleep, the tumor grew fast and she moved too slowly on the issue. I can have compassion with a situation like that. It, hopefully, is simply a sad story and not an evil one. I’d like to think all will work out, and she’ll get back a healthy dog that loves her, too.
She left him at a PET HOSPITAL not in the streets or a kill shelter. She Probably lied because she thought the doctors would me more inclined to help a homeless dog. I would never abandon a pet but I will not condemn another absent all the facts.
I say BS, I found a kitten that was sick and took it to the vet, I told them where I found it and that I brought to them because I didn’t think the kitten would make it and I wasn’t just going to leave an animal to die. I was hit with a $2,000 bill, no one directed me to any agency and I was threatened with legal fees if I took it to court. I don’t know if the person was able to afford it or not, but if it was a case of not having enough money I understand. She at least took the animal to the vet. Most pets are family to their owners, so you have to wonder why they wouldn’t take a pet to the vet, it boils down to one of two reasons, can’t afford it or don’t care. I don’t have enough information to decide.