Jennings Man Accused of Abusing Dog

The Jeff Davis Parish District Attorney's Office is considering upgrading charges against a Jennings man accused of abusing a Labrador retriever.

According to a post on the Jennings Police Department's Facebook page, officers cited John Hargrave on a charge of simple cruelty to animals.

That citation, officers say, came after they received a call about a dog at a home on Davis Street. When they arrived, the officers discovered the black Lab was malnourished and too weak to stand. The officers called for the city's animal control officer, who arrived to take the dog to a veterinarian for emergency care.

The dog remains in a veterinary hospital, where it has undergone blood transfusions and several other medical procedures. According to the Jennings Animal Shelter, the dog, named Spirit, remains in intensive care.

One person posted in the comments to the Jennings Police Department's post, saying Spirit is doing well.

"He is a fighter!" the comment said. "The doctor said he is doing very well considering the condition of his body. He is ravenous for food, which is understandable, but that is a great sign because sick pups usually don’t want to eat."

Police say the district attorney could upgrade the charge against Hargrave to aggravated cruelty to animals.