A 25-year-old woman has been indicted on animal cruelty charges after prosecutors say she left a dog without food or water, causing it to die.
The Livingston County District Attorney’s Office announced that Shaffiria Dortch, of Mount Morris, was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals and overdriving, torturing, and injuring animals, as well as failure to provide proper sustenance.
According to prosecutors, the incident happened on October 7, 2025, when Dortch allegedly locked a Rottweiler in a kennel without food or water. Authorities say the dog later starved to death.
The indictment alleges Dortch “intentionally killed or caused serious physical injury to a companion animal in a manner intended to cause extreme physical pain or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner.”
Prosecutors also say Dortch failed to appear for a scheduled court date on February 26. She is now expected to appear in court on March 19th.
