Woman says her 8-week-old puppy died after trainer allegedly neglected, starved it during boarding program
HOOVER, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) – A dog owner in Alabama claims her 8-week-old puppy was starved and neglected by a dog trainer, leading to its death.
The animal cruelty case is now set to go to trial in April.
Brooke Pearson said her 8-week-old Cocker Spaniel puppy named Indie died during a three-week training and boarding program with Alexis Gibson.
“I felt like I had sealed that dog’s fate; I had a lot of regret, and no one should be put in that position,” Pearson said.
On Aug. 28, 2023, Pearson gave Indie over to Gibson to be boarded and trained.
“She reassured me that it would be OK, to go ahead and give her the dog at eight weeks [old],” Pearson said.
Two weeks into the training program, text messages show Pearson asking Gibson for photos and videos of Indie, but her request was never met until the day Indie died.
“The picture that I received of that dog was not the dog I dropped off,” Pearson said.
Pearson said she couldn’t believe what she saw in the photo.
“She had sent me my first photo of the dog, which is [a picture of] the dog in the towel, and she said, ‘Hey I’ve been calling you, something is going on with Indie,’ and then 30 minutes after that, she said my dog had passed away,” Pearson said.
Pearson’s attorney Matthew Butts said on Sept. 7, 2023, the veterinarian’s notes said that Indie was dead on arrival.
“We suspect the dog was dead on Sept. 6,” Butts said.
A veterinarian’s report and necropsy showed that Indie was malnourished and died of sepsis.
Additional testing for parvo and other diseases came back negative.
“We want to see justice for Indie,” Butts said. “We want a message to be sent that you cannot abuse or neglect animals, you can’t leave animals to die and go about your merry way. There are consequences for that, and you will have to face them.”
The trial is set for April 23 in Hoover, Alabama.
WBRC tried speaking with Gibson and her attorney, but they would not comment on the case.
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