Animal Cruelty Charge After Cape Cod Dog Left Out in -20 Wind Chill

YARMOUTH, MA — A Cape Cod woman was charged with animal cruelty after police said she left her dog outside on a night when the wind chill plummeted to -20 degrees.

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Heather Abbey, 44, of Yarmouth, allegedly left her dog out on Saturday night, when the wind chill dropped to -20 degrees in the region. It was the coldest night so far this winter on the Cape.

A neighbor called police Sunday morning at about 2:30 a.m. and said the dog wouldn’t stop barking. Yarmouth police Officer Justin Haire drove to Abbey’s home and the snow-covered came running up to him, jumping on a fence, police said.

Haire said he knocked on the door but no one answered. He said he went over to the bedroom window and saw someone sleeping on a bed. He said he tapped the glass but the person didn’t wake up. Police also called the home several times.

Haire took the dog the Yarmouth Department of Natural Resources’ Animal Care and Protection Office where it ate, drank water, and dried off. Officers went back to Abbey’s home the next morning, but they said she walked away from the door and shut off the lights when she saw them.

The dog was returned to the home and Abbey was “apologetic,” police said.

“The Yarmouth Police Department commends the concerned neighbor for notifying the police department and patrol officer Haire for his outstanding service and helping to save the life of an animal in need,” police said in a statement.