Vet Who Refused to Return Homeless Man's Dog Sentenced

A Michigan veterinarian was sentenced to 10 days in jail Monday for refusing to return a dog to a homeless man after finding the ailing pit bull mix tied to a truck. Amanda Hergenreder's lawyer asked for 120 hours of community service for the misdemeanor larceny conviction, the AP reports. But Grand Rapids Judge Angela Ross said jail was more appropriate for her, plus $1,000 in restitution. A year ago, Hergenreder was in Grand Rapids for a professional conference when she saw the 16-year-old dog tied to a truck near a coffee shop. She said she took him to her clinic, two hours away, cleared up a severe urinary tract infection, and removed a rotten tooth.

Prosecutors charged Hergenreder after she refused to bring the dog back to Chris Hamilton, a Grand Rapids man who lacked a permanent home at the time. She cited her ethical duties as a veterinarian and noted that the dog wasn't licensed. A jury, however, convicted her at a two-day trial. Hergenreder told the judge that she saw a "dog in distress." But she also acknowledged that she "failed to see the whole picture." "I failed to honor the bond between Vinnie and Mr. Hamilton. I failed to recognize the heartbreak that would follow," the Millington, Michigan, veterinarian said before being sentenced. "I failed to stop, think, and ask questions."

Vinnie—or Biggby, as Hergenreder called him—was euthanized in July because of health problems in old age. "We're disappointed in Dr. Hergenreder being sentenced to jail, but we take solace in the fact that Biggby/Vinnie spent his last few months in a warm, safe, loving, caring environment," defense attorney Miles Greengard said.