A Taunton man is facing a felony charge after police discovered a severely malnourished puppy inside his vehicle during a traffic stop in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
Police identified the driver as 27-year-old Devin Preeper, who has been charged with one count of animal cruelty. He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 23 in Brockton District Court.
According to West Bridgewater police, Preeper was stopped on November 24 around 11:49 a.m. after running a red light on North Main Street. During the stop, the officer noticed an extremely underweight dog in the car.
The 9-month-old puppy, named Sprout, was immediately taken to Westbridge Veterinary Referral Hospital for emergency treatment. Investigators determined that Sprout was severely malnourished and confirmed that Preeper was her owner.
A weeks-long investigation followed, including the review of veterinary records and multiple interviews. Police ultimately found probable cause to charge Preeper with animal cruelty.
Sprout is now recovering at the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts (APCSM), where staff say her condition is gradually improving.
“Definitely the worst starvation I’ve ever seen,” said APCSM shelter manager Katie Anderson. “Her head was literally hitting the floor as she was coming out of the kennel.”
Sprout currently weighs about 9 pounds, up from her lowest recorded weight of 6 pounds.
