(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man is facing possible time in jail for failing to properly take care of his two dogs. Michael Stalling was found guilty on two counts of neglect of a vertebrate animal in a bench trial before Magistrate Judge John Link at the courthouse in Michigan City. Sentencing is scheduled July 8. Stalling could face an up to one year jail sentence on each count and a maximum $5,000 fine.
According to court documents, Stalling abandoned his two dogs, which he kept in an outdoor cage, at a home in the 1100 block of West 9th Street in August of 2022. They were found to be very thin and very dehydrated a few days after he abandoned them.
“Abandoning or neglecting an animal resonates with people as cruelty, and to do that in Indiana is a crime,” said La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan.
Fagan praised the work of deputy prosecutor Mike Freddoso and Detective Lt. Anna Painter for their work on the case.
