Schaumburg woman who neglected Shih Tzu put on probation
A Cook County judge prohibited a Schaumburg woman from adopting any more pets and ordered her to undergo a mental health evaluation after she pleaded guilty to animal cruelty.
Valerie Brewster, 61, was sentenced to two years of probation and fined $649 in exchange for her guilty plea earlier this week to the felony, court records show.
Authorities say her 9-year-old Shih Tzu had not been groomed in several years and had not been to a veterinarian in six or seven years when Brewster brought him to the Golf Rose Animal Hospital on May 26.
A veterinarian observed the fur on one of the dog's legs was so matted it had cut off circulation to his paw, which he subsequently lost. Police took custody of the dog after Brewster was arrested.
Court records show Brewster was also ordered to provide verification every three months for veterinary care for her three cats.