BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) – A 75-year-old woman was charged with animal cruelty after construction workers found her severely neglected dog running loose.

Police Cpl. Christopher Lauzon says the female Terrier mix had infected skin, maggots, skin lacerations and fur matted with feces and urine when construction workers found it on Chapel Road on Sept. 3 and called police.

Lucene Peirce, who was arrested Monday, denies owning the dog. She says it was a stray she’s been feeding for the last six months.

She was cited into Bennington District Court on Oct. 14.