‘Terrible accident’: No charges against Lancaster driver who dragged dog, police say

No charges will be filed against a Lancaster woman who accidentally dragged a dog tied to her vehicle, deputies said.

After a weeks-long investigation, detectives determined the woman did not do so intentionally, said Barry Faile, Lancaster County Sheriff.

“This was a terrible accident, and charges are not appropriate,” Faile said in a statement to The Herald.

The Herald first reported the incident on May 6.

The 7-month-old pit bull puppy was treated for serious injuries by Lancaster County animal control officials and a veterinarian clinic in Chester County.

Deputies determined that the woman driver did not know family members had tied to the pit bull puppy to the vehicle during a storm, said Doug Barfield, spokesman for the Lancaster County Sheriff’s office.

According to Faile, the investigation revealed the driver’s child took the dog from the back yard where it was normally kept and tied its tether to the hitch on the back of the vehicle under the carport without the driver’s knowledge. She drove off with the dog attached but stopped when other motorists told her the dog was tied to the back, Faile said.

“We do in proper cases make animal cruelty charges,” Faile said. “Unfortunately, in this case, a unique chain of events led to the terrible injuries this dog received. The driver of the vehicle was very upset from the moment we encountered her at the scene. Through our investigation we confirmed she did not know the dog was tied to the back of her vehicle.”