Dog, House Set On Fire In Tucson, Resident Charged

TUCSON, AZ — A Tucson woman has been arrested on felony animal cruelty and arson charges after she deliberately set fire to her dog and home earlier this month, police said Thursday. The dog, Lovely, has received around-the-clock care at a clinic and is fighting for her life, according to a Tucson Police Department news release.

“Lovely has a whole team of lifesavers behind her,” Kristen Auerbach, who runs Pima Animal Care Center, said in the release. “This little dog has a tragic story and potentially life-threatening injuries, but we’re going to do everything we can to save her and show her she is loved.”

The woman, Dean Sherfield Finley, 36, purchased two gallons of gasoline on the morning of May 7 and used it as an accelerant to start two separate fires, first on the dog and later her house in the 6900 block of E. Vernice Street, police said. The fire, which was limited to the exterior of the residence, was contained within 13 minutes of the 12:49 p.m. dispatch, the release said.

Police said a teenager who lives at the residence sustained minor injuries. (Sign up for Tucson Patch for real-time news alerts and free morning newsletters. Like us on Facebook. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app.)

In addition to the Class 2 felony charge of arson of an occupied structure and Class 6 felony charge of animal cruelty, Finley also faces a Class 4 felony charge of criminal damage.

A family member noticed Lovely appeared “wet” and picked up the dog when Finley lit her on fire, police said. The family member was able to extinguish the fire quickly, and Finley then torched the southeast corner of the home, resulting in damage to a storage and laundry room, police said.

Lovely was initially taken to Valley Animal Hospital for care, then transferred to the Pima Animal Care Center. The medical team there has placed on her pain management drugs to keep her comfortable, IV fluids to keep her hydrated and antibiotics to treat secondary infections.

The dog requires constant monitoring, and her bandages must be changed daily, according to the release. Her treatment also includes topical creams, antimicrobial agents and different types of bandages during the various phases of wound healing. PACC staff and volunteers are hand-feeding Lovely so she doesn’t have to move any more than necessary.

To fully recover, Lovely needs to go to a specialist, which will cost thousands of dollars and exceed the amount of money PACC has in its medical fund, which the organization said is used to provide treatment to thousands of neglected, abandoned and abused pets like her. Go here to donate.

If Lovely continues to improve and her condition stabilizes, she will need a foster parent who can give her a comfortable place to heal. Those interested in fostering pets in need like Lovely should visit PACC’s foster website or contact a foster care coordinator at pacc.foster@pima.gov.

Photos via Tucson Police Department