Man charged in Springfield court after dog dies of dehydration

Springfield News-Sun

Springfield News-Sun

A man is facing a charge of cruelty to companion animal after a dog he owned six years ago died of alleged dehydration.

Matthew Salyers, 36, was charged in Clark County Municipal Court in 2012 and a hearing in the case occurred Wednesday. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charge, according to online records.

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The charge against Salyers accuses him of failing to provide food and water to a 6-month-old, short to medium hair brown and black mix breed dog. Authorities began their investigation into Salyers when he was in Springfield, according to a charging document.

Clark County Dog Warden Sandi Click wrote in an affidavit she began her investigation when her office was called by a neighbor in 2012 because a dog had died in Salyers’ backyard.

“When we arrived, we observed a black and brown mixed breed male dog with a short to medium hair dog, dead on arrival,” the affidavit says. “The dog lay on the ground approximately 1 to 2 feet away from the doghouse. There was a metal saucepan-type bowl near the residence with a small amount (1 to 2 inches) of water in it.”

It was unknown if the dog could reach the water, Click wrote in the affidavit.

Click wrote that in a conversation with Salyers, he told her the dog was diagnosed with parvovirus and they had tried to self-medicate the animal before it died.

“The couple began mixing Gatorade with the dog’s water as they said they couldn’t take it to a vet as they didn’t have transportation,” the affidavit says.

The dog was taken to a local veterinarian where a necropsy was performed, the affidavit says, where it was determined the dog did not have parvovirus.

“(The vet) concluded that based on appearance the dog died of dehydration,” the affidavit says.

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In a follow-up phone conversation with Salyers, Click wrote that he denied the dog had died from dehydration and used foul language towards her.

“He additionally stated that lots of people gave it food and water, including neighbors and family members,” the affidavit says.

It is unclear why there was a six-year delay between the charges being filed and the court hearing.

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