Onslow County District Legal professional Ernie Lee announced Thursday morning that the felony animal cruelty charge related to a Jacksonville groomer at Animal Household has been dropped.

Cherry Derr, 36, was arrested on Aug. 13 and billed immediately after an preliminary investigation with Onslow County Animal Products and services claimed a 7-year-outdated Border Collie mix named Curry, owned by Emilee and Kevin Hanks, died in her treatment. 

“This office environment has taken this investigation very seriously, as we do any crime, which include those people involving animal cruelty. As a prosecutor, I have an moral obligation not to commence with prosecution when there is inadequate proof to support the fees. Dependent upon the evidence right before me, there is insufficient proof beyond a fair question to convict Derr of the offense of cruelty to animals,” claimed Lee.

North Carolina Normal Statute 14-360(b) tends to make it a Course H felony to “maliciously torture, mutilate, maim, cruelly defeat, disfigure, poison, or destroy, or trigger or procure to be tortured, mutilated, maimed, cruelly beaten, disfigured, poisoned, or killed, any animal.”

OCAS originally explained video evidence and veterinarian documentation led to Derr’s demand. Animal Expert services officers did not communicate to a member of the District Attorney’s Place of work prior to charging the scenario but did check with with a local veterinarian relating to Curry’s death, according to Lee. 

Animed Veterinary Hospital of Bell Fork was named as the veteranarian’s office environment Animal Services utilised in their initial investigation. 

Relevant: Jacksonville