Veterinary technician receives jail time for animal neglect

A 30-year-old veterinary technician was recently handed a 90-day jail sentence and two years' probation for animal cruelty. Stephanie Koehler of Omaha, Neb., was found guilty of charges stemming from a 2011 investigation after her landlord found a dead dog and two emaciated cats in her home.

Officials were notified after Koehler's landlord entered the property when neighbors complained of an unkempt yard and swarms of flies around the windows. Upon entering the home, the landlord found a deceased rottweiler and two emaciated cats and alerted the Nebraska Humane Society for assistance. According to court documents, Koehler told an investigator with the humane society that it had been nearly two weeks since she fed the cats. She also stated that she didn't remove the cats from the home when the dog died because she didn't have a place for them.

Mark Langan, vice president of the Nebraska Humane Society, was pleased with the court's ruling. "We investigate a lot of cases, but this one really stood out," he says. "The jail sentence was very appropriate, because this dog died a very painful death. We hope this serves as a wake-up call for her."