Nearly two years ago, William Dodson taped his pit bull Caitlyn’s mouth and nose shut for 36 hours before she was found and rescued.
William Dodson will then spend 15 years in prison. Five of these, he owes to taping his pit bull Caitlyn’s mouth and nose shut for 36 hours nearly two years ago.
The 15 years Dodson will serve for a weapon possession charge is that the mandatory minimum, and then the five years for animal cruelty are going to be served concurrently. However, after seeing images of the dog’s engorged snout on social media, wrapped around ninefold with electric tape, many, including Circuit Judge Markley Dennis, said they might have preferred a way stricter sentencing.
“I’m not trying to be mean,” Judge Dennis told Dodson in court, “But I wish I could offer you more.” Dodson, a multiple felon, has been behind bars since June 2015, each day before North Charleston cops found and rescued Caitlyn from further abuse. He was arrested after trying to hide marijuana, cocaine, and a loaded pistol and running from police. TheThe next day, the neighbor found Caitlin and called the animal control center.
Dodson showed contrition and said he was learning to vary his behavior with the help of inmate programs, but Assistant Solicitor Ted Corvey refused to hunt anything but the utmost sentence for the man’s crimes. “I think this sends a message that we’re not getting to let these things slide anymore,” Aldwin Roman, Charleston Animal Society director of anti-cruelty and outreach, told the Post and Courier. “We’re getting to do everything we will within the law to prevent this, then we’re getting to transcend and alter our laws and make them stronger.” Roman recalled that when Caitlin entered the Charleston Animal Shelter, she saw Caitlin's reaction to the veterinary technician for the first time. “I remember seeing the fear in her eyes,” he said. “That was 36 hours of torture.”
Fortunately for Caitlyn, veterinarians took care in removing the tape that would have severely damaged her tongue and sinus cavity, and she or he has made a full recovery. As an “Ambassador” for the Charleston Animal Society, she lives proof of the importance of reporting animal abuse and therefore, the consequences for those that hurt animals. The Charleston Animal Society broadcasted interviews with Roman outside Dodson’s sentencing, survive Facebook.
“This has been a really long road for us, a really emotional road,” he said, nearly two years after Caitlyn was first found. “Seeing Caitlyn recover and eager to find justice for her. She has been a voice for each other abused animal, not only in Charleston but across the country. She has also been a logo for victims of violence. She may be a rallying call that we'll not tolerate abuse.”