A 52-year-old woman has been charged with animal cruelty for allegedly using a rubber band to “treat” a large tumor on the jaw of her Boston terrier, which wandered away from its owner and was found at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach.
The dog, Pasha, walked into the hospital on Aug. 7, and by the time Newport Beach police responded to the call of a dog in distress officers found the canine curled up in a corner of Hoag’s chapel, according to Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Malone.
Pasha’s owner, Mary Kay Sodaro of Victorville in San Bernardino County, was charged Monday with a felony count of cruelty to animals as well as failure to care for animals and allowing a pet to stray, both misdemeanors.
Sodaro apparently thought the rubber band was a helpful home remedy for her pet, but it became embedded on the tumor and left Pasha in agonizing pain, Malone said.
Pasha had about 300 tumors, Malone said.
Sodaro took the dog to a veterinarian about four months before Pasha was found at Hoag and again a few days before, Malone said. Both times she declined treatment and even an offer to euthanize the dog for no charge, Malone said.
It’s unclear what happened to the dog.
–City News Service