By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – A woman from Normal is charged with animal cruelty for allegedly killing her dog, who was left out in the bitter cold for two days.
Normal Police say a neighbor called authorities Saturday after noticing the Pyrenees had been outside for long periods of time.
Officers found the dog, named Clara, barely moving underneath a tree. Police say Clara’s ears and tail were frozen, and there was ice on the dog’s nose and tail.
Police say Clara died Sunday at a local veterinary clinic.
Before the dog died, McLean County prosecutors filed a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge against Susan Greene, 61, of Normal
Police say Greene claimed the dog wouldn’t come inside the house, and she indicated the animal had been outside since Thursday.
Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Koll would not say if Greene will face a more serious cruelty charge because of the dog’s death.
Koll said Normal Police continue to investigate the case.
The state’s attorney’s office recently filed felony animal cruelty charges against Gary Eustice, 71, of Normal.
Eustice is accused of placing his two dogs in a garage with a car motor running.
They died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and he allegedly dumped their bodies on the side of a rural McLean County road last month.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
