A woman whose malnourished Belgian Malinois allegedly survived starvation by eating the carcass of another dog will be charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, Arapahoe County District Attorney Carol Chambers said Wednesday. Arapahoe County sheriff’s deputies will serve Kristy Knecht, 29, a summons for the charges. Both charges are Class 6 felonies, meaning they carry a penalty ranging from one year to 18 months in jail for each count.
The surviving dog, a 4-year-old named Neeko, was forced to eat the carcass of a white German shepherd that died of starvation at Knecht’s home in the 1000 block of Uvalda Street, officials said. Up to 2 feet of dog feces was piled in a utility room, and chewed-up dog bones were strewn throughout the house.
Neeko is improving, but is expected to remain in an animal hospital for at least another two months to recuperate.
