An Eastpointe woman has been charged in connection with allegedly kicking her mother’s small dog and causing it to lose an eye.
Dezhiar Blair was arraigned Friday through the 38th District Court on a charge of third-degree animal torture, which is a four-year felony, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office said in a release.
She received the maximum charges available under the law, according to the statement.
Her bond was set at $50,000. She was ordered to have no contact with or possess any animals if posting bond.
Blair remained behind bars as of Monday, according to Macomb County Jail online records. A spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office said the suspect had been living with her mother when the incident took place and did not know how Blair would comply with the order to have no contact with animals if she posts bond.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 11.
An attorney representing Blair was not named in court records on Monday.
Authorities allege Blair kicked her mother’s 3-year-old Shih-poo in the head on Feb. 25.
The pet was taken to a veterinarian, who performed emergency surgery and had to remove one of its eyes.
“Allegations that this defendant kicked a defenseless dog in the head with such force that the animal lost an eye are deeply disturbing and will be treated with the utmost seriousness,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in the release.
“Cruelty to animals is not a minor lapse in judgment, it is a criminal act that inflicts needless suffering on vulnerable creatures who depend entirely on human care and protection. My office is committed to holding individuals accountable when they choose violence over compassion.”
The incident follows other recent animal cruelty cases and charges in the region.
A Warren woman was charged with allegedly leaving 20 dogs and four turtles in deplorable conditions in addition to drug possession.
In two separate cases, Detroit men were charged for letting their dogs freeze and starve.
Last year, a Warren man was convicted of intentionally setting his girlfriend’s home ablaze, killing her two cats trapped inside.
mjohnson@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Eastpointe woman accused of kicking, injuring dog charged
Reporting by Myesha Johnson, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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