Des Moines Woman Charged With Animal Torture // Accused of Hanging 15-Year-Old Pit Bull Mix

(Cornwell)

A Des Moines woman found herself arrested and charged with animal cruelty late last week. 28-year-old Sheena Cornwell was arrested after being accused of hanging her boyfriend's 15-year-old pit bull terrier mix in their shared garage. The dog's name was Lillie. The reported reason for the hanging? The dog was old and barked too much.

The "self-proclaimed animal lover" reportedly became upset Saturday afternoon because of the dog's barking:

After Cornwell came into the couple’s home Saturday after being in the garage, “she wouldn’t talk to me,” (the dog's owner and Cornwell's boyfriend, Joshua) VanDyke said. He said from inside the house they could hear the dog barking, and Cornwell asked him angrily, “Is that Lillie?”

According to a Des Moines police report, Cornwell then returned to the garage. She reportedly emerged approximately 10 minutes later, re-entered the house, and allegedly told VanDyke, “She’s dead, I killed her.”

After being told the dog was dead, VanDyke said, he went into the garage and saw the dog hanging by its collar and leash from a rafter. He called police. “I was shocked. I couldn’t believe it. I’ve never seen or experienced anything like that,” he said.

Cornwell reportedly told officers Lillie had been annoying her and the other dogs, and Lillie reportedly tried to bite her as Cornwell was hanging her. Police said Cornwell was under the influence of alcohol when she was taken into custody. “She did not appear to be remorseful. She said she saw nothing wrong with her actions,” Des Moines Police Officer Greg Catron said. “She didn’t think there was anything wrong with the way she put this dog to death... This is the first time I’ve seen a dog strung up like that. The dog deserved better than that.”

Cornwell was charged with animal cruelty. She may be forbidden from owning other animals in the future should she be convicted of this charge.