WASHINGTON — A Germantown man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to one count of animal cruelty after his dog was left in a backyard crate and found suffering from maggot-infested wounds.
Ronald Vaughan was arrested in June after an animal services officer found a wounded 10-year-old Maltese-type dog inside a wire crate in Vaughan’s backyard.
The dog — named Cholula — was found a towel-draped crate, sitting in a cloud of flies. A veterinarian determined her wounds and the subsequent infection and infestation were too extensive to treat and the dog was euthanized.
Vaughan told the officers that he had been on vacation and a friend was supposed to look after the dog.
He said he was planning to take the dog to the vet but never made an appointment.
Vaughan was originally charged with two counts of animal cruelty and faced up to 90 days in jail, a fine of $1,000 or both for each count.
