Woman charged with animal abuse after dog’s remains discovered

A woman is facing an animal abuse charge after she allegedly left a Chihuahua to starve to death inside an apartment.

In February 2017, maintenance workers at a Las Vegas apartment complex found Blossom, a tan and white Chihuahua, dead and nearly mummified inside a vacant apartment, according to court documents.

Police determined that the tenant, Shemia Boyd-Nelson, left the dog alone in the apartment for at least six weeks with no food or water after she moved out, according to Boyd-Nelson’s arrest report.

Boyd-Nelson told police that Blossom belonged to her daughter, and that the daughter’s boyfriend was supposed to pick up the Chihuahua after Boyd-Nelson and her daughter moved, according to the report.

Boyd-Nelson “had no explanation” as to how the boyfriend, who never lived in the apartment and did not have a key, was supposed to get in to get Blossom, the report states.

Police also interviewed Boyd-Nelson’s daughter, who said she also had a Chihuahua, but it died a few weeks earlier after it was hit by a car, according to the report.

A warrant for Nelson-Boyd’s arrest was issued in September 2017, and she was arrested on Sunday on one count of willful or malicious torture, maiming or killing of an animal.

She made bail the following day, on the condition that she cannot possess or be around any animals, according to court records.

Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 17.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.