Man cited after cops find dog on roof

July 14, 2015 at 12:00a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

A man charged with animal cruelty after a nursing, malnourished dog was found on the roof of his front porch Sunday evening said he was just trying to help a friend.

Deshaun Vaughn, 36, of Orrin Avenue, pleaded not guilty Monday at his arraignment on a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals. He was cited about 10 p.m. Sunday after police found the dog on the roof of his home.

The dog was being checked by a veterinarian late Monday afternoon at the Animal Charity offices on Market Street. One of her seven puppies had died and another was in grave condition, but Shalyse Bolash, Animal Charity executive director, said the staff would do “everything we can” to make sure the puppy pulls through.

After his arraignment, Vaughn said a friend had left the dog with him and he did not know the dog was going to have puppies.

“I was trying to help the dog out because the person was moving out of town,” Vaughn said. “Without my knowledge, the dog was pregnant. I tried to do as much as I could for the dog, but now I have to let Animal Charity take over.”

Police were called to Vaughn’s home in the 3100 block of Orrin Avenue on the East Side. Reports said the dog is a pit bull or pit bull mix, and officers could see the dog’s bones sticking through its skin. Animal Charity and the fire department were called to help get the dog down, but they were unsuccessful.

Reports said it appeared the dog had somehow clawed her way out of a second-story window onto the porch. The puppies were spotted in the basement.

Vaughn arrived shortly after police did, after his sister contacted him and told him police were at the home. Reports said he would not answer when police asked him when he last fed the dog. He told police he received the dog several months ago from a friend.

Bolash, who was called to the scene, said Monday the dog finally left the roof Sunday evening. She said she gave Vaughn until noon Monday to take the dogs to Animal Charity himself or they would be confiscated, but humane agents had to come for the dogs because Vaughn does not have a driver’s license, Bolash said.

Bolash estimated the mother is between 2 and 3 years old, but she could not tell how long she went without being fed. Compounding matters was the fact she is nursing the puppies, which led to her being more malnourished.

“Those puppies were sucking the life out of her,” Bolash said.

Still, Bolash and other personnel at Animal Charity said the dog has a good temperament.

“She’s sweet,” Bolash said. “She lets us handle her puppies.”

The other five puppies still needed to be checked out, but Bolash said they are more alert than the other two.

Bolash said more about the dog and her puppies’ conditions should be known today.

Bolash said Animal Charity took in 24 dogs Monday.