A former owner of a German shepherd once left to suffer outside in frigid winter weather was sentenced Monday for animal cruelty.
Toledo Municipal Judge Josh Lanzinger ordered Anthony R. Flunder, 60, of the unit block of Bronson Place in North Toledo, to forfeit the dog and prohibited him from possessing any animals while on three years of active probation. The judge also suspended a 90-day sentence at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio and ordered 40 hours of community service.
Mr. Flunder had been found guilty after a bench trial Aug. 12 of misdemeanor animal cruelty. He was acquitted of three additional charges in the case: obstruction, menacing, and misconduct at an emergency.
Selena Carrigan, 60, of the 2800 block of Mulberry Street, also was charged with misdemeanor cruelty to animals in the case. She did not appear for trial Aug. 21 and Judge Tim Kuhlman subsequently issued a bench warrant.
Toledo police on Jan. 20 found the shepherd outside in a chain-link kennel. The dog was thin, there was a dead rat inside the kennel, and a lack of footprints in the snow indicated the shepherd had not been cared for in some time, according to court records.
According to the complaint, Mr. Flunder’s wife — not specifically identified as Ms. Carrigan, although the public records show the pair married in 2002 — told investigators they did not feed or make contact with the dog in at least 24 hours because it was too cold outside.
The dog has been in a boarding facility under the care of the Compassionate Village since its rescue.
First Published August 26, 2019, 5:31 p.m.
