Man Is Jailed For Starving His Dog For So Long It Was Forced To Eat Rocks

A man is doing time after starving his two-year-old Doberman pinscher. It happened in Ohio, when the dog, the man’s pet, was forced to eat rocks to survive after being deprived of food for an extended amount of time.

The sentencings happened on Thursday, May 7 by Judge Robert Lyons. 36-year-old David Neanover is been charged with two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to a companion animal over the issue, which took place in 2019.

Neanover is being sentenced to 180 days on the two counts of cruelty charges and an additional 90 days on a domestic violence charge according to FOX19.

$2598.18 in restitution will be paid by Neanover to the caregivers of the dog and he will also be responsible for paying court costs and a $1500 fine. He is currently being held at Butler County jail after pleading guilty to the charges.

Neanover is from Riley Township and he also may have deprived the dog of water.

A letter was read during Thursday’s hearing by an acquaintance, whose name wasn’t mentioned in court records. It said:

“I am asking for the full extent of the law. To let a sweet, innocent soul live in filth, no food or water, no love or kind treatment…(Neanover) even named him Lucifer when in actuality, this person should be called that.

If I was a judge, these people who abuse animals would get to experience what they did to animals. Animals are just baby souls in different bodies.”

The neglect of the dog was reported to the police in April 2019. A number of anonymous complaints about abuse were sent to the authorities.

After dog wardens arrived at his house, they found Lou, the dog, with no water or food and he was covered in severe open wounds.

X-rays were taken after the dog was transported to the Animal Friends Humane Society in Hamilton. They showed that he had to eat rocks to try to survive. Volunteers also found that the dog’s tongue had an ulcer, making drinking or eating painful.

Animal Friends Humane Society in Hamilton said the following in a statement last year:

“X-rays showed rocks in his stomach. This we did not expect, but we are not surprised. He lived his life on a VERY short-chain and was deprived of food for quite some time, so we’re sure he got to the point where he was willing to eat anything that he could get his mouth on. He is missing a chunk of his tongue.”

Sheriff Richard Jones also had the following to say last year:

“No normal human being could look at this dog and think this is acceptable. The pictures are hard to view. It’s much worse in person. Animal Friends will do everything they can to save this poor animal but the current condition is very bad. I am thankful that this was reported. I just hope he can be saved and adopted to someone who cares.”