A Michigan veterinarian was sentenced to 10 days in jail Monday for refusing to return a dog to a homeless man after finding the ailing pit bull mix tied to a truck in 2024.
Amanda Hergenreder, from Millington, Michigan, was convicted of misdemeanor larceny and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution to the dog’s owner, Chris Hamilton. The sentencing took place in Grand Rapids, where Judge Angela Ross rejected the defense’s request for community service instead of jail time.
Why It Matters
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 2023 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, the number of individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the United States reached a record 256,610 in 2023. Research suggests that up to 25 percent of unhoused individuals have companion animals.
For those experiencing homelessness, pets offer valuable companionship and support. However, pet ownership can create additional barriers to accessing services.
In a 2016 survey conducted by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, 22 percent of homeless individuals reported they were unable to enter shelters because they were not allowed to bring their pets. Many people choose to remain unhoused rather than relinquish custody or leave their pets behind when entering a shelter.
What To Know
The incident occurred in early November 2024, when Hergenreder was attending a professional conference in Grand Rapids. She encountered a 16-year-old dog tied to a U-Haul truck near a coffee shop and took him to her clinic, which was two hours away. There, she treated the animal for a severe urinary tract infection and removed a rotten tooth.
Hergenreder cited her ethical duties as a veterinarian and noted that the dog wasn’t licensed as a reason for refusing to return the animal to Hamilton, who lacked permanent housing at the time. She renamed the dog Biggby, after a nearby coffee shop, saying the animal was thriving in her care. He was previously named Vinnie by Hamilton.
Prosecutors filed charges after she refused multiple requests to return the dog. During the two-day trial in September of this year, Hergenreder told jurors she would do it all again “in a heartbeat.” A jury convicted her of larceny, which carries up to 93 days of jail and a fine.
Her defense attorney, Miles Greengard, said the veterinarian kept the dog because there was no assurance that animal welfare authorities would investigate the dog’s living conditions. He had requested 120 hours of community service for the sentencing, but Judge Ross determined jail time was more appropriate.
Hamilton had told Grand Rapids news station WOOD-TV earlier this year that he tied the dog to the truck while he walked to a gas station.
What People Are Saying
Amanda Hergenreder told the judge during sentencing: “I failed to see the whole picture. I failed to honor the bond between Vinnie and Mr. Hamilton. I failed to recognize the heartbreak that would follow. I failed to stop, think, and ask questions.”
Hergenreder’s defense attorney, Miles Greengard, told the Associated Press: “She believed, as I believe, she did the right thing. What is right and what is legal are not always the same thing. We’re disappointed in Dr. Hergenreder being sentenced to jail, but we take solace in the fact that Biggby/Vinnie spent his last few months in a warm, safe, loving, caring environment.”
Chris Hamilton told WOOD-TV in February: “I had my dog 15 years. Never neglected him and, you know, we loved each other. I mean, I felt like I lost part of my body after that. Never felt the same after losing him.”
What Happens Next
Hergenreder will serve her 10-day jail sentence and pay the court-ordered restitution.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
