Michigan Veterinarian Jailed for 10 Days After Stealing Dog from Homeless Man

A veterinarian in Michigan has been sentenced to 10 days in jail after a jury found her guilty of stealing a dog from a homeless man.

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She has also been ordered to pay the owner $1,000 for what she did.

What Happened?

The vet, Dr. Amanda Hergenreder, was in Grand Rapids last year when she saw an old pit bull mix named Vinnie tied up to a truck.

Vinnie's owner, Chris Hamilton, left the dog tied up while he went to a gas station down the road

Dr. Hergenreder saw the dog tied up with a frayed rope and without any food or water and thought he looked sick and was being neglected.

So she decided to take Vinnie and drive him two hours back to her clinic to treat him.

Vinny ended up being treated for a bad urinary infection and a rotten tooth.

Why Was It a Crime?

When Mr. Hamilton found his dog gone, he reported him stolen.

Police told the vet she needed to give the dog back, but Dr. Hergenreder refused.

She claimed that she worried the dog would go back to poor living conditions.

But in the eyes of the law, Vinny being a pet meant he was still Mr. Hamilton's property.

So because Dr. Hergenreder took the dog and refused to return him, prosecutors charged her with misdemeanor larceny.

The prosecutor said that even if someone thinks they are doing a good thing, they can't just take something that doesn't belong to them.

The Final Sentence

After the jury found her guilty, Judge Angela Ross sentenced Dr. Hergenreder to 10 days in jail, even though her lawyer asked for community service instead.

Before the sentence was announced, Dr. Hergenreder told the judge she regretted the pain she caused.

She said she "failed to honor the bond" between Mr. Hamilton and his dog and didn't understand how much heartbreak it would cause him.

Sadly, Mr. Hamilton never got his dog back.

Vinnie ended up being treated for a bad urinary infection