Boulder Woman Tapes Puppy To Fridge

[The Ark]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/19185595/detail.html

BOULDER, Colo. -- Boulder police are investigating a domestic spat that they say escalated into animal cruelty when a woman wrapped her boyfriend's dog in packing tape then stuck it on the side of the refrigerator.

Officers responded to an apartment on the 2900 block of Aurora Avenue early Tuesday, after getting a call about a disturbance in progress.

They found several items strewn about the apartment and cola stains on the floor and on the wall.

According to the police report, the tenant, Bryan Beck, told officers that he and his girlfriend, Abby Toll, began arguing after they returned to his apartment and found that his dog had defecated on the carpet.

While Beck was telling officers what happened, there was a rustling sound in the kitchen.

That's when officers noticed a big ball of tape stuck on the side of the refrigerator.

"The ball of tape appeared to be moving," said Sarah Huntley of the Boulder Police department. "The officer asked the individuals what it was and the female replied it was a dog."

Police said the dog, an 8-month-old Shiba Inu named Rex, was taped to the fridge upside down and was struggling to free itself. When they asked how long it had been there, Toll said about 20 or 30 minutes.

Investigators said the couple had been at odds over Rex after he had bitten Toll the week before.

"She wanted him to get rid of the dog, he didn't want to," Huntley said.

According to the report, Toll was trying to tend to a wound on the dog when it bared its teeth and growled at her. She became scared and then upset. She wanted to get back at Beck and teach the dog a lesson, so she bound its snout and legs with elastic hair bands and taped it to the fridge.

The report goes on to say that when Beck saw the dog he said, "Take him down, you are so sick." Toll became angry and said, "No, you are sick for not caring enough about me to get rid of the dog.”

That's when Toll decided to go back to her apartment. The report said Beck blocked her way. She reached for her cell phone and Beck grabbed it from her. She began throwing things at him, then grabbed her Chihuahua named Peanut and headed for the door.

That’s about the time that police arrived.

Huntley told 7NEWS that when the officer tried to remove the tape and elastic bands from Rex, he yelped in pain.

Both he and Peanut were taken to the Human Society.

"I'm absolutely sickened," said Lisa Pedersen, chief executive officer of the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. "No matter what was going on with these animals, they did not deserve this treatment."

Pedersen said that Rex and Peanut are stressed out but are doing OK physically.

The incident is the talk of the town.

"For them not to be able to settle their differences in an adult way is just unbelievable," said Cathy Greenwald. "They don't deserve a dog."

Beck and Toll were both arrested on charges of domestic violence.

Toll is also facing a possible cruelty to animal charge and possession of a controlled substance. Police said that while Toll was being processed into the jail, deputies noticed a tinfoil container with a black substance inside. When they asked her what it was, she allegedly told them it was opiates.

In another article I read about this it was stated that the woman was jailed for 30 days - however after reading this version which mentions the opiates it may be more likely that she was jailed for possession of drugs rather than cruelty to the puppy. Morons.

[sandra64]

thats just plain wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bluefairy]

Un-bel-eivable.......OMG I'm speechless......

BF

[julzjc]

Sick!!!! absolutly disgracfull! Why arent we allowed to bind her arms and legs with tight,thin elastic,cover her from head to toe in packing tape and hang her upside down for a few days?!? Days ie she is a hell of alot bigger than a poor deffenless puppy.

[The Ark]

Gotta look forward to these two getting back together and having kids when they get out of jail, haven't you!