FLINT, Mich. – A Michigan woman who forced a puppy to live in conditions so bad that the fur on its paws changed color was arrested after beating the dog in front of a delivery man, officials said.
Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson said charges have been announced against Nataya Shalone Cabine, 35, of Flint.
A delivery man was invited inside on April 5, 2024, when he brought groceries to Cabine’s neighbor, according to Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.
Once inside, the delivery man noticed Nugget, a severely neglected 5-month-old pit bull mix, Leyton said.
“The defendant started smacking the poor little dog … because he urinated in the cage,” Leyton said. “There was a foul odor, according to the investigation. The delivery guy’s girlfriend also saw the puppy and thought it was going to die and watched as the defendant repeatedly punched the little puppy in the face.”
Investigators said they could see the puppy’s spine, hip, and ribs. There was no food, water, or bedding in the cage, and feces had started to pile up, officials said.
At the time of the investigation, Nugget had “all sorts of other issues,” officials said.
During a Facebook video, Swanson showed how the tips of Nugget’s paws had turned a shade of yellow.
“That’s yellowing not from the DNA inside this dog, but because this dog was standing and sleeping in urine his whole life,” Swanson said. “The belly’s stained, the paws are stained because of the iodine in the urine.”
Cabine is charged with torturing an animal, a four-year felony, and abandoning/cruelty to an animal, a 93-day misdemeanor.
Cabine has previous convictions for assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, and third-degree arson.
Because of those previous convictions, Cabine is being charged as a habitual offender, and her maximum penalty is 15 years in prison, according to Leyton.
She is being held on $100,000 bond.
“You can’t just beat an animal, starve an animal to death,” Swanson said. “There’s other people that’ll step in. There’s no excuse for this, and if you do, you’re going to be held accountable.”
Swanson thanked Animal Control volunteers and said they saved the puppy’s life.