CHICAGO — A doctor in Chicago is being accused of abusing a dog that was found in a box barely breathing.
What we know
A cleaning woman found the malnourished Portuguese water dog, named Betty, inside a plastic storage bin put in a bathtub, according to police reports.
In March 2024, the crime took place in the 2200 block of North Lakewood Avenue.
At the time of the crime, the suspect, Anita Damodaran, 38, who works as a pediatrician, was being evicted.
John Garrido of the Stray Rescue Foundation said, “She had impact sores all over, urine burns, and her fur was very matted. She was probably living off of her own feces.”
Made an arrest
Animal cruelty charges were brought against Damodaran by the cops in Chicago. She was later caught in Florida.
Lawyers for Damodaran said in court that she said the dog belonged to her parents and that she didn’t know Betty was in the bin.
There is good news: Betty is still alive and well.
“She’s fully recovered, she’s in a new home, she’s living the life she deserves,” he said.
As the leaders of the Garrido Stray Rescue Foundation, Garrido and his wife help almost 200 dogs every year.
Twenty people who care about animals got together in a Skokie courtroom three weeks ago to demand justice for Betty.
“That is such a horrific act of cruelty, it can’t be forgotten… for the person who did it,” said Garrido.
What’s next?
A judge turned down Damodaran’s request to be jailed.
She was told to stay in Illinois and follow a 12-hour curfew every night.
On Friday, February 14, Damodaran has to go back to court.
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