HOBART (NBC 26) — A Hobart woman is facing felony animal mistreatment charges after investigators say a forensic examination found her dog died of starvation.
Brown County prosecutors have charged 35-year-old Cassandra Marie Luedeman with felony mistreatment of animals resulting in death, along with misdemeanor counts of failing to provide proper food to a confined animal and bail jumping.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began June 11 after Luedeman contacted a state-certified humane officer and reported she believed a raccoon had gotten into her basement and killed her white Maltese. She told the officer she heard an unusual noise, saw what she believed was a gray tail leaving through a window and later found the dog dead.
The humane officer wrote that something about the dog's condition didn't match that explanation, so the dog's body was sent to the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for a forensic necropsy.
According to the complaint, the necropsy determined the dog died from malnutrition related to starvation. Investigators say the examination found no disease or underlying medical condition that would explain the dog's condition.
The complaint says Luedeman told investigators the family's children helped feed the dogs and that the Maltese was fed boiled chicken, rice, and peas because it would not eat dog food. She also told investigators she had noticed the dog losing weight but thought it was normal because of the dog's size. Investigators say she did not take the dog to a veterinarian, although she said she had spoken with a friend who is a veterinarian.
Investigators also noted that two other dogs at the home appeared to be healthy.
The bail jumping charge stems from a condition of bond in a separate Brown County misdemeanor case that prohibited Luedeman from committing new crimes while that case was pending, according to the complaint.
The charges are allegations. Luedeman is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
