Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty Claimed She 'Found' Hurt Dog

ROUND LAKE PARK, IL — Officers from the Round Lake Park Police Department responded to the 400 block of Kenwood Drive Wednesday for a report of an injured dog, which the caller told the responding officer she had found on her front lawn, claiming she immediately called police. Police said the officer took the dog to Lake County Animal Control to be treated, and that's when it became clear the woman had given then false information.

According to police, rabies tags not yet seen by the officer were found on one of the dog's collars as pain medicine was being distributed to the animal. A computer check identified the owner of the dog as Juana Navarrete, 30, the same woman who reported finding the dog, police said, adding that the officer immediately recognized the name as being the original caller's name.

Officers returned to the house after a review of the recorded call to the dispatch center verified the information provided to police, and arrested Navarrete when she admitted to the hoax, police said.

According to police, the woman claimed she let the dog out “to do its business,” but after an hour she noticed it was missing and found the dog on the front lawn appearing to be injured. Police added that Navarrete brought the dog inside and called them.

Police said Navarrete told officers she couldn’t afford to pay for a veterinarian and called police with the fictitious information.

Police said if you can't afford to have a pet, don't, because the woman contrived a story when she could've easily called for help and been steered towards resources.

Navarrete was charged with filing a false police report, animal cruelty, and was released on a personal recognizance bond.