LEWISTON — An Auburn woman suspected of dropping off a dog outside a local animal shelter last month and driving off has been summonsed.
Animal Control Officer Wendell Strout issued a summons Feb. 15 to Sarah Vye on a charge of cruelty to animals, a Class D misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 364 days in jail. Vye is scheduled for arraignment on April 6.
The Androscoggin County District Attorney’s Office filed a complaint in court Thursday against Vye, 21, charging her with the misdemeanor stemming from the Jan. 25 incident in which Vye abandoned Abby, a yellow Lab-mix, outside the Greater Androscoggin Humane Society on Strawberry Avenue at night.
That event was captured by surveillance video outside the shelter, showing a dog being let out of a car. The car then drives off and doesn’t return.
Abby ran into traffic three days later and was found dead on the on-ramp to the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Bridge, not far from the shelter. She had been struck by a vehicle, officials said.
Authorities had indicated early on that they planned to bring criminal charges against Vye but were seeking to determine the proper violation.
District Attorney Andrew Robinson said two weeks ago that his office had received the preliminary police report but was gathering additional information and wanted to review “all the facts.”
Without identifying herself, a woman called a Portland radio station a day after Abby was found dead. She said she had left Abby at the shelter to protect her three children.
“My kids come first,” she said. She said she was sorry that Abby was struck and killed.
Police were able to identify Vye through surveillance video and tips from the public. Police later contacted Vye and talked to her about the incident.
Contacted at her home Thursday, Vye told the Sun Journal that she would decline to comment on the charge and the incident and referred all media inquiries to her attorney.
cwilliams@sunjournal.com
As you many of you know, our staff and volunteers have been actively searching for this dog that was abandoned outside of our facility on Monday evening. Unfortunately during our morning search the dog was found hit by a car near the off ramp of the bridge. A sad morning here at GAHS with the passing of this dog, but we are determined to figure out who dropped this dog off at our facility. If you have any leads, please contact Animal Control through the police department. Thank you to our staff, volunteers and members of the public who helped us try to bring this dog back to safety. You are all greatly appreciated.
Posted by Greater Androscoggin Humane Society on Thursday, January 28, 2016
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