A 57-year-old Lady Lake woman will have to answer in court to an animal cruelty charge.
Lady Lake’s animal control officer on March 17 received notification about the case from a local veterinarian where Ellen Marie Presta had taken her female Yorkie “Daisy” for treatment.
Presta told the veterinarian the dog was unable to walk and had possible urinary incontinence. The veterinarian discovered that the dog was covered in fleas, had stage 4 periodontal disease and was matted and sparse due to some areas of her fur having been “chewed out,” according to an incident report from the Lady Lake Police Department. The dog suffered from “overwhelming” flea infestation and flea anemia as well as “severe neurological deficits” which rendered her unable to walk as normal and forced her to urinate on herself. The veterinarian concluded the dog had suffered from willful neglect. The dog was euthanized. Presta was issued a misdemeanor citation for animal cruelty.
