Connecticut Police Investigating Viral Photo of Duct-Taped Dog

Police in Connecticut have been inundated with phone calls and emails from people concerned over a Facebook post showing a dog muzzled with electrical tape that has gone viral and said they actively investigating the case.

A Facebook account holder who uses the name "Katie Brown" posted a photograph on Friday of a dog that looks like a chocolate lab with electrical tape wrapped around its mouth and the message, "This is what happens when you dont (sic) shut up!!!"

The post, photo and Facebook account have not been authenticated, but the post was shared hundreds of thousands of times between the time it went up and the time the post was pulled down.

That post prompted outrage from animal lovers.

South Daytona Police Lt. Dan Dietrich said the woman's legal name is Katharine F. Lemansky.
Police in South Daytona have been in contact with her adult son, who lives in Florida, and he said she moved to Connecticut over a year ago and has been living in Avon with a boyfriend, possibly a fiancé, Dietrich said.

Police in Avon, Connecticut, released a statement about the case on Monday, saying they are pursuing leads and thank people for their concerns.

“We have received an outpouring of telephone calls and e-mail about the recent Facebook posting of a dog with its mouth duct-taped closed. We thank everyone for their concern. The Avon Police Department Animal Control Officer is actively investigating this case and we want to assure you that we take all cases of animal abuse very seriously,” a statement from Avon Police said.

Avon police are working with police in South Daytona, Florida to find Brown and determine the status of her dog and determine which department has jurisdiction.
 

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