A Washington C.H. woman is not allowed to own an animal for three years after her pit bull-mix dog was found severely malnourished and underweight.

Mindy Hatfield, 34, plead guilty in Washington Municipal Court to charges of prohibitions concerning companion animals during a pretrial hearing Thursday. The two second-degree misdemeanor charges resulted in Hatfield being ordered to pay a $300 fine, no ownership of animals for three years, and a 30-day jail sentence suspension.

This case went to court after Fayette Regional Humane Society agents responded to a Oct. 6 call about a weak, skinny dog having trouble walking at a Washington C.H. home.

“When humane agents arrived, they found a white pit bull mix-type dog confined to the front porch of the residence. The senior-aged dog was underweight with ribs, spine, and hipbones being prominent, and at one point, the dog fell while he was walking,” said Brad Adams, FRHS chief humane agent and outreach & education director. “A black hardened substance or residue was on the top of its head with hair loss and long toenails. The owner told humane agents that the dog began losing appetite at the beginning of the month.”

Humane agents took custody of the dog and transported him to a veterinary clinic where he weighed only 46 pounds. The veterinarian noted how “the dog had white hair, but due to the severity of live fleas and dried blood (flea debris), he appeared to have areas of black.” The dog also had grade 4 periodontal disease with drainage, double ear infection, and hard, dry feces were removed, which supported dehydration according to the veterinarian. Hookworms were found during the examination aside from severe anemia that was revealed through blood work.

Humane euthanasia was recommended by the veterinarian and performed due to the severity of the dog’s condition.

The Fayette Regional Humane Society is a non-profit (501(c)(3), volunteer organization. They rely on donations, grants and fundraising to carry out their mission. The Humane Society is the only organization in Fayette County able to respond to calls about abused, neglected, and injured domestic animals, 24 hours per day, seven days per week. To learn more about the Fayette Regional Humane Society, please visit their website at www.fayettehumanesociety.com