Posted at: 10/04/2009 2:16 PM
Updated at: 10/04/2009 2:23 PM
By: John Craig

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Two people charged in animal cruelty case

ROOT -- Two people were arrest Sunday and facing charges after a dog was dropped off at an animal shelter in the Town of Root.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is charging Paula Wellek, of 555 Darrow Road in Root, with one count of cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor. They are also charging Allen Davis of 620 W. Lykers Road in Root with aggravated unlicensed operation and marijuana possession.

Authorities say that a six-month old pure-bred black labrador named "Butch" was dropped off at the Ayres Animal Shelter in Sprakers on Wednesday. An employee of the shelter tells NewsChannel 13 the dog wandered up to some men who were cutting wood near Wellek's home on Darrow Road. With no tags, they brought the dog to the shelter.

The Sheriff's Office was contacted because the dog had a pronged training collar on which was so tight that it had imbedded itself below the fur and skin. The collar had to be forcibly cut off before care could be given to Butch.

Wellek, 50, found out the dog was at the shelter and wanted her animal back, the manager said. After a Sheriff's investigator saw the condition of the dog, it was not returned. Instead, Wellek turned herself into the MCSO at the shelter. She was processed and released, authorities said.

During the investigation, MCSO learned that Davis, 24, became "irate with shelter members" prior to their arrival. Davis had a suspended driver's license for failure to pay a fine in Albany County. MCSO also said that while approaching him, they found a pipe and a small quanitity of marijuana. He was arrested and released.

Both Wellek and Davis are due back in court on Monday, Oct. 19 at 7:00pm in Town of Root Court.

Butch "is now resting comfortably and is still on antibiotics and painkillers," according to a release from MCSO. The dog will be available for adoption in the coming weeks.