Charged on 40 counts including cruelty, neglect
A New Sarpy man has been charged with cruelty to animals, specifically using several dogs for fighting.
Claude Lewis, 36, of 919 E. Lawson St., was arrested July 9 and booked on 40 charges,including five counts of using animals for dog fighting, seven counts of cruelty to animals, 11 counts of failure to provide pit bull registration, nine counts of failure to vaccinate for rabies, six counts of failure to provide required breeder registration, failure to renew registration and failure to produce a driver’s license.
Lewis faces up to 10 years of jail time per dog fighting charge.
St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Pat Yoes said Parish Animal Control Officer Leonie Agurcia reported the dogs were allegedly being used for fighting.
Yoes said Lewis claimed ownership of all the animals on the property and there was no indication yet that anyone else was involved or that the dog fighting was part of an ongoing ring.
“Most of the dogs were in bad shape,” Yoes said of them scoring poorly on physical exams. “All of the dogs were removed from the residence.”
Jena Troxler, head of the St. Charles Parish Department of Animal Control, said dogs exposed to dog fighting are treated and potentially adopted out on a case-by-case basis.
“We base adoptability on whether a dog is kind to both people and animals,” Troxler said.
“Typically, the younger the dog, the more hope for turning it into a loving pet that’s not aggressive. Some states have mandatory euthanization of all dog fighting dogs. We have a well trained behavior tech that aids joint determination with myself and their veterinarian, in what constitutes a pet that is not menacing to society after being exposed to cruel conditions of dog fighting.”
Lewis was being held at Nelson Coleman Correctional Facility as of Tuesday on a bond of $40,000.
A court arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 16.
Be the first to comment