CLEARWATER, Fla. – A Pinellas County woman is facing animal cruelty charges after police say she “forgot” to let two dogs back inside following a ‘potty break’ and one died from heat exhaustion.
According to an affidavit, Hailey Devan O’Connor, 24, was working at Bay Paws Pet Resort when she released two dogs from their interior kennel into an outside fenced kennel that had turf and no shade from the sun for a ‘potty break’ around 10:30 a.m. last Thursday.
The owner and managers said a ‘potty break’ should be only 10–15 minutes, but after O’Connor clocked out at 2 p.m., staff on the next shift found the dogs outside. One of the dogs, a Bichon/Maltese mix named Chantelle, was lying unresponsive in the corner, according to the affidavit.
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The dog was taken to Blue Pearl Pet Hospital where she was pronounced dead from heat exhaustion.
The arrest report stated that video surveillance showed both dogs collapsing outside and Chantelle not getting back up.
Courtesy: Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
An officer said that O’Connor admitted she forgot about the dogs after letting them outside and never let them back in.
O’Connor has been charged with cruelty to animals.
In a statement to FOX 13, Bay Paws Pet Resort said, “We are deeply heartbroken by the tragic loss of a beloved pet under our care. Our deepest condolences go out to the grieving family during this incredibly difficult time. We know that pets are family, and we are devastated by this loss. No words can truly express how sorry we are.
At Bay Paws, we take great pride in our high standards and rigorous safety protocols designed to ensure the well-being of every dog in our care. Unfortunately, this incident occurred because a single employee failed to follow our established procedures. We take full responsibility for this failure, and it does not reflect the care and commitment that define our company.
We are taking swift and decisive action, including terminating the employee responsible, conducting an internal review of our policies, and fully cooperating with local authorities. Moving forward, we will implement additional training and safeguards to ensure nothing like this happens again.
To the family, we know that nothing can replace your cherished pet, but we are here to support you in any way we can as you navigate this painful time. We are committed to addressing your concerns and offering any assistance you may need.
At Bay Paws, we remain dedicated to providing the exceptional care that our clients expect and deserve, and we are fully committed to ensuring that an incident like this never occurs again.”
This isn’t the first time O’Connor has been in trouble with the law. Records show she was arrested in May for battery of a law enforcement officer.
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