Taunton man pleads not guilty, released on personal recognizance, after dog found severely malnourished

A Bristol County man went in front of a judge on Tuesday concerning an animal welfare investigation that resulted in charges against the dog’s owner.

Court records show that 27-year-old Devin Preeper, of Taunton, pled not guilty at arraignment in Brockton District Court on a felony charge of Animal Cruelty.

Preeper was released on personal recognizance and ordered not to own any
domesticated animals. The Commonwealth had requested Preeper be held on $25,000 cash bail.

According to the West Bridgewater Police Department, on Monday, November 24th, at approximately 11:49 a.m., West Bridgewater Police Officer Alexandra Maloney observed a vehicle run a red light on North Main Street and conducted a stop.

While interacting with the driver, identified as Preeper, Officer Maloney observed what appeared to be a significantly underweight dog in the vehicle. The dog, a 9-month-old puppy named Sprout, was taken to Westbridge Veterinary Referral Hospital, where she received medical care.

A subsequent investigation, which was assisted by Sgt. Russell Regan, determined that the driver was Sprout’s owner and that the dog was severely malnourished.

Following treatment, Sprout was transferred to the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts, where her condition is slowly improving. The APCSM is raising funds to support Sprout’s recovery. To learn more, please visit: https://www.apcsm.org.

During the initial traffic stop, officers took steps to ensure the dog immediately received veterinary care. Investigators then conducted a thorough follow-up investigation, including documenting the dog’s condition, gathering veterinary reports, and conducting follow-up interviews. During that investigation, West Bridgewater Police developed probable cause to charge Preeper.

The Plymouth County DA stated that Officers instructed Preeper to take the puppy to the Westbridge Veterinary Referral Hospital in West Bridgewater for evaluation. While there, Preeper admitted to officers he had owned the puppy for about six to eight months and had been unable to properly care for it. The defendant added the puppy had inadvertently consumed birth control pills and UTI medication during his ownership of the dog. Preeper agreed to surrender the puppy and was informed he would be charged with animal cruelty.

According to court records, Preeper’s next scheduled court appearance is a pretrial hearing on February 17th.