Lebron Thrasher
A 29-year-old Chattanooga man has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals after an extremely emaciated dog was found dead in his yard.
Lebron Thrasher, of 1577 Akins Dr., claimed that his Redbone coonhound "Moonshine" had been struck by lightning.
An officer went to the residence on Jan. 27 after an EPB employee spotted the dog that was wearing a large chain and collar with padlocks on the chain and also on the dog's collar.
The officer said the dog was in a filthy condition and the water bowl and food bowl were dry and dirty.
The dog was found to weigh 31.6 pounds, though the average weight of an adult male Redbone coonhound is 55-70 pounds.
The dog was rated a 1 on a 1-9 scale on body condition.
The officer said the average fat content for bone marrow in dogs is reported at 59.4 percent. A sample from the femur of "Moonshine" was sent to the Michigan State lab and found to be 0.5 percent that is "indicative of malnutrition, severe dehydration and ultimately starvation."
The officer concluded that "this dog was deprived of adequate food and nutrition over an extended period of time resulting in excruciating pain and suffering and eventually death."