John Jefferson
Main: the fenced-in area at Bay Paws Pet Resort were the dogs collapsed (WTVT). Right: Hailey O’Connor (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office).
A 24-year-old pet day care worker arrested in May for allegedly spitting on a police officer is in hot water again after two dogs collapsed in Florida’s heat, dogs that she allegedly “forgot” about while they were left in a fenced-in area outside for a reported “potty break.”
Hailey O’Connor of Clearwater is accused of falling down on the job last Thursday morning, Sept. 12, after letting two dogs out to go to the bathroom and clocking out for the day hours later, leaving co-workers to find both dogs collapsed and unresponsive from the heat. One of the dogs, identified as Chantelle, a “Bichon/Maltese mix,” died as a result, and there’s video footage from Bay Paws Pet Resort that shows the canines collapsing on the ground in the hot sun, Pinellas County authorities allege.
Pinellas County Jail records show that O’Connor was arrested and booked two days later for felony animal cruelty after she allegedly admitted she forgot the dogs outside from 10:30 a.m. until the animals were found after 2 p.m. that day.
Under Florida law, the offense is committed when a person “has the custody or control of any animal and fails to act, which results in the cruel death, or excessive or repeated infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering, or causes the same to be done, commits aggravated animal cruelty, a felony of the third degree[.]”
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Bay Paws Pet Resort responded to the news of O’Connor’s arrest by telling local Fox affiliate WTVT that it was “deeply heartbroken by the tragic loss of a beloved pet under our care” and that a “single employee” was to blame.
“No words can truly express how sorry we are,” the pet day care, grooming, and boarding business reportedly said. “Unfortunately, this incident occurred because a single employee failed to follow our established procedures.”
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The business reportedly said it was “taking swift and decisive action” to fire O’Connor, cooperate with investigators, and to “implement additional training and safeguards to ensure nothing like this happens again.”
Court records show that O’Connor simultaneously faces another case from May, a battery incident where she was accused of spitting on a cop as law enforcement attempted to evaluate her “under a Marchman Act.”
“The defendant was verbally abusive toward law enforcement and causing a disturbance in the ambulance drop off area. While speaking with the defendant, she spit in my general direction, causing some of the overspray to land on my right arm,” an officer alleged.
Florida courts explain that the Marchman Act “provides the means for an individual in need of substance abuse services (assessment and/or treatment) to receive emergency services and temporary placement for evaluation while treatment modality is explored on either on a voluntary or involuntary basis.”
Pinnellas County Jail records as of Wednesday say that O’Connor is still in custody.
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