Veterinarian faces theft charge after refusing to return homeless man’s dog

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Michigan veterinarian who said she rescued a distressed dog that was tied to a truck is facing a theft charge after failing to return him to a homeless man.

Amanda Hergenreder took the dog on a two-hour drive to her clinic, where she performed procedures to relieve a severe urinary tract infection and remove a rotten tooth. She named him Biggby and says the 16-year-old pit bull mix is thriving nearly four months later.

But the Kent County prosecutor said Biggby belongs to Chris Hamilton, who lately lacks a permanent home in the Grand Rapids area and claims ownership of a dog known to him as his beloved Vinny.

“I just want my dog back,” Hamilton, 57, told WOOD-TV. “I had my dog 15 years. Never neglected him and, you know, we loved each other. I mean, I felt like I lost part of my body after that. Never felt the same after losing him.”

Prosecutor Chris Becker said it is a simple case of larceny, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of 93 days in jail. Jury selection for a future trial is scheduled for March 6.

“You don’t have a right to just take something because you feel something’s wrong. … People have a very big attachment to their animals,” Becker told the TV station. “No matter where you are in life, what your stature is in life, be it rich, poor, whatever it is, this is something that’s important to an individual.”

Hergenreder said she was in Grand Rapids in November for a professional conference when she saw the dog tied to a truck near a Biggby coffee shop. There is no dispute that she called the police department and animal shelter and also talked to a shop employee.

“No energy, very lethargic,” Hergenreder said of the dog. “We carried him to our vehicle. It was just very sad.”

Hergenreder said she performed medical procedures at her clinic worth $3,000. She said he runs and plays at her home, adding that she is “starting to slowly see the light come back in his eyes.”

Hamilton acknowledged that he tied the dog to the truck while he walked to a gas station. He said when he returned, about 45 minutes later, coffee shop employees told him “some lady in a van came and took my dog, snipped the rope.”

Hergenreder’s attorney, Miles Greengard, is offering a vigorous defense of the veterinarian. He said she fears the dog won’t get the attention he needs in old age if she gives him up.

“Mr. Hamilton didn’t even take such basic steps as licensing the dog,” Greengard told The Associated Press on Tuesday. “Now he expects a benevolent doctor to give Biggby the medical treatment he’s been denied and needs moving forward, and then give the dog back?

“I think it’s an unfortunate situation all the way around,” Greengard said. “But I’m glad Biggby is living his best life.”