On February 15, 2022, the skeleton body of a young dog by the name of Minnie was found on a property in Bertie County, Nth Carolina. Minnie’s emaciated little body was curled up inside a plastic doghouse, she was still chained. The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office was immediately called by PETA’s Community Animal Project Field Staff (CAP) who found her body, but the Animal Control Officer (ACO) refused to attend the property to investigate her death instead he said, “I don’t pick up dead dogs.” 

PETAs dedicated and very persistent CAP staff reached out to the Sheriff, but they were ignored, and no contact was made with CAP by Bertie County Law Enforcement Officials who showed absolutely no interest in investigating the death of Minnie. A necropsy showed that Minnie who was not even 1 year old had starved to death. She had no body fat, NONE, the cause of death was determined to be caused by “emaciation, starvation, and extreme neglect”.

PETAs CAP staff then wrote to the Bertie County Commissioners and continued to apply pressure the sheriff’s office allegedly investigated but it has been more than 2 months since Minnie’s emaciated body was found and Bertie County Officials were alerted, and no charges have been filed. The Bertie County Law Enforcement has failed to do its job by thoroughly investigating Minnie’s death despite multiple calls, emails, and even an in person visit to the Sheriff’s Office not one law enforcement officer would speak to those who were fighting for justice for Minnie. 

To add to this blatant failure to ensure those responsible for leaving Minnie to starve to death Minnie was not the only dog found on the property, 5 other dogs in very poor condition were also found on the property. Each dog was chained outside as Minnie had been before she was left to starve to death. The malnourished condition of each dog was reported to Bertie County Officials but just as they did with Minnie, they refused to provide any information regarding the 5 surviving dogs so it is likely they are still chained on the property forced to drink filthy water and forced to endure severe weather conditions. 

The moment Law Enforcement Officials were informed there were five surviving dogs on the same property where Minnie had been left to starve to death, they should have seized the dogs immediately to ensure they do not meet the same fate as Minnie. The dogs should have been examined by a veterinarian when Minnie’s body was discovered, and all 5 dogs should have been permanently removed from the owner’s ‘care’ or lack thereof. 

This blatant case of failing to protect animals from neglect and suffering is utterly appalling and the Bertie County Law Enforcement Officials should be held accountable for their failure to seek justice for Minnie by filing charges against her owner and failing to protect the 5 malnourished remaining dogs that are chained outside on the property. 

Please help us help Zeus an elderly male husky whose ear tips are missing because they have been ravaged for years by flesh eating flies, Duke a black and white male pit bull, Nala a young brown female pit bull chained inside a pen, Sandy an elderly tan female pit bull mix and Duchess a severely malnourished and unsocialized black female pit bull.  These severely neglected dogs have not been seized, or vetted, despite PETA’s repeated offers of assistance to intervene.