Missouri Woman Starved Pet Dog, Tried to Bury her Alive: Police

A Missouri woman who starved her pet dog, bound her legs, and then tried to bury her alive is being charged with animal abuse.

The 19-year-old, Breawna Austin, tied the dog's legs with zip ties and attempted to bury her near the Juden Creek Conservation Area in Cape Girardeau, Fox 5 Vegas reported.

The lab mix called Pepper was found at the area on March 20, emaciated and with the zip ties still binding her legs, a probable cause statement from Cape Girardeau police department said.

Wounds caused by the zip ties cut so deep that bone or connective tissue could be seen. The dog only weighed just under 30 pounds, less than half the weight of a healthy dog, which can be up to 80 pounds.

After Pepper was found, she was brought into animal shelter Southeast Missouri Pets, who reported the case to the police department.

Strangely, this is not the first time Pepper has been taken to Southeast Missouri Pets. According to the police statement, the dog was first brought into the shelter by animal control on February 18 this year.

Later that same day, Austin came into claim the dog as her own. She had to show employees at the shelter her ID in order to take the dog home, the statement said. Austin told the police on that day, the dog had run away from her while on a walk.

When the animal shelter first took Pepper in, she weighed 47 pounds, meaning since Austin claimed the dog she has lost just over 17 pounds in weight.

According to the probable cause statement, Austin had told an employee at the animal shelter that Pepper had passed on February 19.

"Austin then stated she took Pepper home and Pepper fell asleep without eating very much. Austin stated she woke up Saturday, February 19, 2022 to find Pepper died. Austin stated said she took Pepper out to a pond near Cape Rock and buried her," the police statement said.

"Austin was 100 percent positive Pepper was dead when she was buried. Austin denied knowing anything about the zip ties."

A warrant for Austin's arrest issued on March 20 accuses her of torturing Pepper by burying her alive, WPSD said, and court records show she is being charged with animal abuse on the second or subsequent offense.

Tracy Poston, executive director for Southeast Missouri Pets told Fox 5 Vegas that Pepper had been "surprisingly, super resilient."

"She's been very trusting...Like she knows we're here to help here. After being treated so badly, sometimes they're scared and she's been really, 'I get, you guys are here to help," Poston said.

Cape Girardeau City Jail is currently holding Austin. A Cape Girardeau police spokesperson told Newsweek there are currently no other updates on the case.

This article has been updated with comments from Cape Girardeau police