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In March, West St. Paul Police found a dog in the trash compactor of an apartment, leading to Dakota County charging two people with animal cruelty last week. A police Facebook post at the time of the incident led to an outpouring of support.
Charges: Nahshon Bland Jr. of Apple Valley is charged with two counts of mistreatment of animals, the second count for cruelty leading to death or great bodily harm. C’eanna Royster of West St. Paul is charged with one count of mistreatment of animals.
What happened: According to the police report, Royster got a Shih Tzu puppy from an online breeder. When the dog became sick and was diagnosed with parvo—an ailment most dogs are vaccinated against—requiring a $3,5000 treatment, Royster contacted the breeder, Bland.
- Surveillance footage reportedly shows Royster and Bland walking down the hallway with Bland carrying a pillowcase. “The pillowcase is observed to be weighted and visibly moving in the surveillance footage.”
- They stop outside a door to a room with the garbage chute. Bland enters with the pillowcase and returns without it.
- Royster told police that Bland said the dog had died, though she admitted to seeing the dog moving in the pillowcase.
- A maintenance worker called police the next morning after hearing barking in the trash compactor and digging through the garbage to find the dog.
Efforts to save the dog: The police report describes the dog as “dirty, weak, lethargic, and defecated bloody stools.” Police brought the dog to Skadron Animal Hospital, but despite emergency treatment it collapsed and died later that afternoon.
Past convictions: According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension records, Bland has multiple convictions, including weapons possession, and is currently incarcerated.
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