An employee of a Dolton veterinary hospital wanted in connection with animal cruelty investigation has been returned to Cook County to face felony charges, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.
Arrest warrants for Sharon Cargile, 59, of Chicago were issued last month after she failed to appear for her court date. She was arrested on Dec. 11 in Salina, Kansas when police there learned of her warrants during a traffic stop. Members of the Cook County Sheriff’s Central Warrant Unit brought Cargile back to Cook County
today.
Animal Cruelty: Dolton Animal Hospital Employee Apprehended on Warrant in Kansas Traffic Stop
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A Cook County grand jury last month indicted Cargile, and the animal hospital’s veterinarian,
Amardeep Sangha, each with three counts of aggravated animal cruelty, a class 4 felony.
Necropsies – autopsies of the deceased dogs – found that three of the dogs died of non-accidental
chronic starvation. The fourth dog’s death was ruled inconclusive.
The investigation began on Sept. 21 when the Sheriff’s Animal Crimes Unit was contacted by Dolton
Police at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 21 regarding the condition of animals at the facility, located in the 15000 block of Lincoln Avenue in Dolton, where Cargile and Sangha worked. Four dogs were found deceased and other dogs were found in poor condition.
Cargile and Sangha were both originally charged in September with five counts of misdemeanor
cruelty to animals and eight misdemeanor counts of violating owner’s duties. Cargile appeared at the Markham Courthouse today where she was ordered held on no bond for the felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and on $10,000 bond for her misdemeanor charges.
Her next scheduled court date is tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 23) at the Markham Courthouse. Sheriff Dart reminds the public that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.