Dog owner prosecuted for neglect

SARALAND, Ala. (WALA) - A Saraland man will spend some time behind bars for leaving his two dogs without food or water for nearly five weeks.

There was quite the crowd at the Saraland courthouse Monday, all asking for justice for two dogs.

Pictures of Bo and Luke taken just after their rescue show them barely alive. Their bones are clearly visible, and the dogs barely have any hair. Their owner's name was still printed on their collars, Rodney Loper.

Rescuers believe it had been almost five weeks since he had seen them. Sandra Nathan with the Alabama Voters for Responsible Animal Legislation, AVRAL, said the dogs were found in terrible conditions.

“One was in a crate outside, no food, no water for a month and he could barely stand. The other one was tied to a tree, same condition. They hade been infested with every parasite in the world, including heartworms," said Nathan.

Loper's landlords found the dogs after he had moved out. Veterinarians didn't think they would make it through the night. Natalie Reeves took care of the dogs while they recovered.

"These dogs are amazingly resilient to the type of abuse they have endured,” said Reeves.

Reeves gets emotional when she thinks of the condition these dogs were forced to survive.

"I couldn't believe they were alive. I mean, you could see the entire skeletal process of their body. There was nothing there, just bones and skin hanging over the bones,” said Reeves.

The dogs were rescued by Bonnie Blue Rescues out of Virginia. Reeves and others were at the Saraland courthouse to ask for justice.

Under Alabama law, animal cruelty is a misdemeanor. If you can prove intentional torture, you can push for a felony under the Gucci Law. The prosecution went for the misdemeanor.

"It's the interpretation of the judges and the prosecution to say that starving is not torture. Starving is probably the worst type of torture,” said Nathan.

Loper pled not guilty to the charge of animal cruelty. He told a judge he had been coming by the house every day to care for the dogs. The judge saw the evidence and decided otherwise, and Loper was found guilty.

The judge said he feels what was in his power to give as a sentence was too lenient, but he had no choice. Loper was sentenced to 365 days and 30 to be served immediately in the Saraland jail.

He also will have to pay a $2,500 fine, spend two years on probation and pay $3,500 for vet bills.

However, the real justice is in the most recent photographs of Bo and Luke. They are much different than the first. The dogs are healthy and playing with their new families.

Thomasina Sharpe, with Bonnie Blue Rescues, said this is because of the courageous people who found the dogs and took action.

"For anyone out there that thinks that just for one person speaking up, I want you to know that the person that called the county shelter and said, 'There’s a couple of dogs and I’m so afraid that if something is not done,' that person was in the courthouse today, and she saw that she made the difference in these dogs' lives,” said Sharpe.