Rhode Island woman faces charges after neglected dog brought to vet deceased

[Riverside, Rhode Island, March 24, 2023] — A local woman is facing charges after the condition of her deceased dog led to an investigation.

According to RISPCA, on March 14th, The Rhode Island SPCA responded to a call from Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in regard to a dog that was brought to their facility deceased.

The dog, an elderly terrier mix, showed clear signs of neglect including substantial matting, significant hair loss and two very large abdominal tumors. Pictures showing the condition of the dog are too graphic to show. At the time the dog was brought in, the name of the owner was not disclosed.

Following up on information provided when the dog was presented for treatment, RISPCA were able to identify the owner, Dawn Abbenante, from Pawtucket.

Attempts to contact Abbenante were unsuccessful, and a warrant was issued for her arrest on the alleged charges. With the assistance of the Pawtucket Police Department, she was taken into custody, without incident, at her residence in Pawtucket.

She was arraigned in District Court on Wednesday for one felony count of unnecessary cruelty and one misdemeanor count for care of dogs.

Abbenante was released on $3000 personal recognizance and given a pre-arraignment date of June 3rd in RI Superior Court.