A WOMAN who posted photos online of her neighbour’s dog wearing a nappy and its mouth tied shut has been arrested.
The Texas resident spent 14 hours behind bars after her pictures of the pit bull mix were shared on Facebook, reports NY Daily News.
Amber Cammack says she called authorities to report the apparent “animal abuse”, but received no response. The dog, who was kept on the balcony “even during rain storms” according to Ms Cammack, was pictured with something tied around its snout and wearing a nappy.
Ms Cammack decided to take action by posting images of the dog, dubbed “Porch Pooch”, to social media.
Animal cruelty ... One of the images Ms Cammack took of the dog wearing a nappy. Picture: FacebookSource:Supplied
The images were widely shared, and a few days later Ms Cammack received a call from the sheriff telling her if she didn’t remove the photos she would be arrested.
“When the sheriff himself calls you and threatens you with arrest, that is an extreme chill on your right to freedom of expression,” Ms Cammack’s lawyer said in a statement, reports Chron.com.
Authorities said Ms Cammack “had repeatedly published allegations of animal abuse on social media sites, including their personal information, their physical locations, security access information, personal vehicle information, and more”.
Arrested ... Amber Cammack surrounded by protesters outside of the jailhouse. Picture: KHOU-TVSource:Supplied
“I’m not a criminal,” Ms Cammack told KHOU-TV. “I was treated like a hardcore murderer-felon. I was thrown in a tank with the rest of murderers, the drug dealers,”
“I’m disgusted with the fact that I can’t report a crime and nobody’s helped the dog.”
Her arrest spurred a protest in front of the jail, with around 25 supporters holding placards opposing animal cruelty.
Despite Ms Cammack’s images, a veterinarian and animal protection investigator have declared the dog to be in good health and is now back with its owner, reports Chron.com.
“When we file charges, our charges are based on the evidence,” said district attorney Devon Anderson. “And in animal cruelty cases, our evidence comes from experts who have examined the dog.”
All the charges against Ms Cammack have since been dropped, according to NY Daily News.
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