Officials share update on dog’s condition after severe case of animal cruelty

UPDATE (8/3/25): Woman in custody following animal cruelty case

JACKSON, Tenn. — Last week, authorities were dispatched to a residence regarding an animal abuse call where a dog was found in a hot garage. Now, we have an update on the dog’s condition.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Woman wanted for animal cruelty after dog found ‘hours from death’

According to animal control, the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was working with a property maintenance supervisor to serve an eviction when they discovered the animal left in the garage.

“After I arrived, I noticed the dog was in the garage, so I went up to it to really see the condition of the dog.The dog was in a very emaciated state. That prompted me to give it emergency care at a local vet that we use. I went back to do some more investigating to find out what happened and why the animal was there,” said Cody Summer, animal control officer.

Now, Crime Stoppers are looking to locate Ashonti Shardai Kidd.

NOTE: In a social media post made Tuesday, the individual involved denied responsibility for the incident described below, stating that it is not her dog and that she was not aware the dog was in the garage.

Animal Care Director Whitney Owen tells how they deal with animal cruelty cases.

“In the more extreme case, like the current situation [and] like the dog that was found during the case the other day, we don’t have in-house the ability to provide the level of care that a dog like that needs. So, she’s actually been in-patient at one of our contract veterinarians for the last several days. She needs around the clock care, IV fluids and things like that,” said Owen.

According to Summer, the dog gained a few pounds since the initial rescue and it’s on the way to better health.

“The state of the dog is still in fragile condition. The road to recovery seems optimistic. At first she wasn’t able to walk and now she is. She’s walking a little too well for her own good right not, but that’s always a good thing to see,” said Summer.

“We’re never going to leave someone in a position where they may be harmed by an animal. As far as non-vicious animals go, we try very very hard to meet the need of the public when they have a owner surrender request because of the numbers that we’re dealing with on a regular basis. There is almost always a waiting list for owner surrenders so we do encourage people to act as early as possible,” said Owen.

The investigation is still ongoing and authorities are still looking for the suspect.

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