18-year-old cited in Lancaster County animal abandonment case

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Authorities cited an 18-year-old for animal abuse, neglect and littering after a puppy was abandoned along a Lancaster County road.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said they were notified Friday at 11:30 a.m. of a puppy left in a crate in a ditch on 14th Street and McKelvie Road north of Lincoln.

According to Sheriff Terry Wagner, the puppy had been in the ditch for roughly three hours.

LSO posted to their twitter at 10:20 p.m. that an arrest had been made in the case, and that an 18-year-old was cited for littering and animal abandonment, which is a class-1 misdemeanor.

Sheriff Wagner said a 16-year-old girl saw their original post and reached out to LSO, where she explained that she had originally owned the puppy and decided that she could no longer care for it, so she gave it to an 18-year-old girl.

“It was very cold Friday morning and it’s fortunate that someone saw the puppy and then called it in,” said Sheriff Wagner.

Capital Humane Society Executive Director Matt Madcharo said the puppy is most likely a German Shepherd/Husky mix. CHS took custody of the puppy around 3:30 p.m. and said he is in good condition.

Not only will they be cited for littering this is also animal abandonment a class 1 misdemeanor.

On a happy note the puppy was brought to the office to warm up and make some new friends before he heads to our friends at the @capitalhumane. #LNK #AnimalAbuse #notok #HelpUs pic.twitter.com/WfNJiiSqib
— Lancaster County Sheriff (@LSOnebraska) February 3, 2023