‘Dog is not a human,’ says man charged with animal cruelty

Officers and Butler County Dog Wardens responded to 4908 Roosevelt Ave., on Friday, Sept. 27, after receiving an anonymous complaint that a German shepherd and a Pomeranian were being mistreated at the home. Dog wardens said the German shepherd was tied to a tree and the Pomeranian was in an area fenced in with chicken wire. Police said the German shepherd was chained to a fence and was “extremely emaciated and covered with fleas and ticks.” A woman at the residence told police she would call her father, Jeremy Temple, who was the owner of the German shepherd, according to the police report. Temple told officers he had had the dog for four years and in the summer months the dog normally lost a lot of weight, according to the report. According to police, Temple said “the dog is not a human” when they questioned him further about the conditions the dog was living in. The dog was released to PAWS Adoption Center, and Temple was transported to Middletown Jail where he was charge with cruelty to companion animal, unlicensed dog and improper chaining or tethering. The dog, named Joey, has received veterinary treatment, according to the PAWS Facebook page. Temple is scheduled to appear Oct. 14 in Middletown Municipal Court for a pre-trial hearing. He is free on $5,000 bond.