A woman who a posted a picture of her dog with its mouth taped shut on her Facebook page has been charged with animal cruelty. 45-year-old Katharine Lemansky, who goes by Katie Brown on Facebook, was staying in Cary, North Carolina with her dog when the photo was taken.
“Taping the dog’s muzzle shut was a terrible decision on Ms. Lemansky’s part, and charging her with animal cruelty under North Carolina law was the right thing to do,” said Cary Police Capt. Randall Rhyne. “At the same time, it’s important to also note that our animal control officers who physically examined both Brown and her littermate found the dogs to be very well cared for, which is why we did not and could not remove them from the owner. The dogs are current on their shots, spayed, and microchipped. They are clean and well-nourished and appear to be comfortable in their surroundings. And there were no signs of injury to Brown’s muzzle, not even detectable hair loss.”
The animal cruelty charge carries a fine and possibly up to 150 days in jail if convicted. Lemansky must appear in Wake County court Dec. 14.