A Wisconsin woman is accused of killing her two dogs by hanging them from trees, authorities said.
Pamela Sue McNeill, 56, is charged with two counts of felony mistreatment of animals and two counts of felony bail jumping, according to Brown County online booking records.
She appeared in court by video from the Brown County Jail on Wednesday, WLUK-TV reported.
According to a criminal complaint, deputies from the Brown County Sheriff’s Office responded after a public works employee found a dog hanging from a tree at a park-and-ride station in the village of Howard on Tuesday, WBAY-TV reported.
At the same time, deputies were notified about a complaint against McNeill, who was eating inside a convenience store despite not paying for her food, the television station reported.
Deputies discovered that officers had met with McNeill on Monday, and the woman had a dog with her, WBAY reported. Deputies confirmed that the dog they found dead Tuesday was the same one with McNeill the previous day, according to the television station.
“(The officer) pointed out to Pamela that she had a dog the last time police talked to her and inquired where it was,” the criminal complaint stated. “Pamela advised she killed them both and hung them in trees. She said they became vicious although later she said they had not bit or snapped at her, but just growled.”
Deputies were told to look for the second dog and found it hanging from a tree near the first dog, WBAY reported.
According to court documents, McNeill told deputies that “both of my dogs started snapping at each other and growling while they were in the passenger seat of my car. I tried to pet them and they growled at me, but never snapped at me.
“I told them I was not going to live with that and I told them I loved them and that I hoped to see them someday,” McNeill stated.
The court commissioner set McNeill’s bail at $5,000 and referred the case to a judge to determine if a competency exam should be ordered, WLUK reported. That hearing is scheduled for Feb. 28.