WICHITA — A Kansas woman arrested after a violent dog attack in November has entered a guilty plea in Sedgwick County.
On Monday, Carlett McPherson, 31, entered the plea to one count of misdemeanor cruelty to animals. After her guilty plea, she was sentenced to six months of probation by agreement of the parties involved, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.
On November 16, 2018, McPherson’s dog entered her neighbor’s yard where the neighbor’s grandson and the neighbor’s dog, Smokey, were located, according to the district attorney.
McPherson’s dog attacked the neighbor’s dog, Smokey. McPherson tried to break up the dog fight with a broom but was unsuccessful.
She called for help, and a man entered the yard with a tire iron.
The unknown man tried to separate the animals with the tire tool, striking Smokey. There was no evidence that McPherson ever wielded the tire iron that struck Smokey or directed the man to strike Smokey with the tire iron, according to the district attorney.
McPherson left the yard to get a phone to call 911. When she returned, two more of her dogs followed her back to the yard and again attacked Smokey.
Smokey was later euthanized after his bites became infected. McPherson was charged with one count of misdemeanor cruelty to animals for allowing her dogs to attack the neighbor’s dog, Smokey.
In addition to the probation, the court also ordered her to pay the veterinary bill. Wichita Police continue to search for the man with the tire iron.
Under Kansas law, cruelty to animals includes knowingly but not maliciously killing or injuring an animal. McPherson pled guilty to injuring Smokey. There was no evidence that she intentionally killed the victim animal, Smokey, according to the district attorney.
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SEDGWICK COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigation a case of alleged animal cruelty.
Just after 4:30p.m. Friday November 16, police responded to a suspicious character with a weapons call at a residence in the 1000 Block of North Poplar in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.
A suspect later identified as 30-year-old Carlett McPherson was reported beating a dog with a tire iron and releasing other dogs to attack a victim dog.
At the scene, officers did find several dogs involved in a physical disturbance in the front yard of the residence. Officers worked to separate the animals and with the assistance of animal control officers, the aggressive dogs were captured without incident. The victim dog was transported to a local animal hospital where it died from the injuries.
On December 1, as a result of the investigation, McPherson was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of animal cruelty, according to Davidson. She is being held on a 25,000 Bond, according to the jail booking report.
Police will present the case to the district attorney this week.