SCRAPS charges dog owner with animal cruelty

The owner of an injured dog recently found with an embedded collar has been charged with animal cruelty. The owner, 66-year-old Richard L. Lafountain, faces second-degree animal cruelty and confinement in an unsafe manner, according to Nancy Hill, director of the Spokane County Regional Animal Protective Services. The 1-year-old husky mix, named Nanook, was found Friday with a wound around his neck consistent with a collar or cable becoming embedded over a long period of time, Hill said. Lafountain has since released the dog to SCRAPS. “We have interviewed the owner and been told how this injury occurred,” Hill said in a news release. “We encourage everyone to fence their yard rather than tethering a dog so this kind of injury doesn’t happen.” Nanook had surgery to treat his wounds. He is expected to make a full recovery, but will need follow-up care. His care is being paid for through the SCRAPS Hope Foundation and private donations. Numerous people have come forward to adopt the dog, but Nanook has already found a new home and an owner who can work with his special medical needs.