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Board denies appeal; dog Blackie to remain with Humane Society after officers cite severe matting and heartworm
Summary
After testimony from an animal-control officer and the dog's owner, the Lafayette board denied an appeal to return Blackie to the owner, citing severe matting, heavy flea infestation, heartworm infection and ongoing medical needs discovered by Humane Society veterinarians.
The Lafayette board denied an animal-control appeal on Nov. 4 and decided not to return a dog named Blackie to the owner after testimony from Animal Control Officer Aaron Gravely and the owner, Juliane Dowell.
ACO Aaron Gravely said officers responded on 11/04/2025 to a report that led them to a residence where an officer initially thought the animal was deceased. Gravely described the scene and the dog's condition: bowls appeared empty, the dog was heavily matted and would not get up; after intake at the Humane Society of Greater Lafayette the dog weighed about 10.9 pounds after staff had to shave approximately two pounds of matted hair. The officer told the board Blackie tested heartworm-positive and had a major flea infestation. "If we can't do simple grooming on the animal, the heartworm's just gonna eventually take over the dog and put it down itself," Gravely said, and recommended the board not return the animal.
Owner Juliane (Julianne) Dowell told the board she works full time and cares for family members, acknowledged the dog needed grooming and veterinary care, and said she was "very, very glad that he has gotten the care he needs and deserves" and that she was "very sorry that I wasn't able to provide that, that it did slip through my cracks." Dowell also said the dog had been in the family about 10 years and that the dog was her daughter's.
Board members expressed strong disapproval of the condition in which the animal was found. One member said, "I'm disgusted by this, and you should be ashamed," before a motion was made to deny the appeal. The board voted by voice and denied the owner's request to have Blackie returned.
The Humane Society had taken Blackie into veterinary care; staff noted that heartworm treatment is prolonged and costly and requires weeks of restricted activity, which the animal-control officer cited as a reason against return. The board's denial means Blackie will remain in the care of the Humane Society while treatment and next steps are determined.
The decision was a formal enforcement outcome under the city's animal-control ordinance as applied by the animal-control officer and reviewed by the board.
