HERMON, ST. LAWRENCE CO. -- A North Country woman is facing felony charges for allegedly leaving a dog stuffed in a plastic bag on the side of the road.
I spoke with St. Lawrence County Sheriff Kevin Wells this morning who tells me they arrested Joann Risley, 39, of 65 Babcock Street in Gouverneur.
We first told you about this story two weeks ago on CNY Central.com when deputies were searching for the person behind this horrific case of animal neglect.
The Sheriff now tells CNY Central it was a tip from someone who heard about the story through media reports that lead to Risley's arrest.
On February 8th, a passerby found a one-year-old female Terrier mix tied inside a garbage bag and tossed on a snow bank along County Route 19 in the Town of Hermon.
Risley is accused of putting the dog in the bag, then driving from her home to County Route 19 and tossing the bag alongside the road. The dog was still alive when she was found, but was in so much pain, he had to be euthanized.
Risley is charged with aggravated cruelty to an animal, a felony and abandonment of an animal. She is scheduled to appear in the Town of Hermon Court on March 2nd.
If convicted, Risley faces a maximum sentence of two years in jail.
When I first wrote about this story two weeks ago, it touched a nerve with many of our readers and elicited many angry and passionate responses. One person wrote, "I am sickened by this story. Angry. Sad. If only we could have helped." Another said, "Once again some totally irresponsible idiot basically killed an animal that depended on him and probably loved him...I hope this person is caught and faces some kind of jail time."
Many others were calling for deputies to charge the person with a felony once they were caught. Now that Risley has been arrested and charged with a felony, what do you think her punishment should be? Is two years in jail enough? Leave your thoughts below.
