Caitlyn the Dog’s Abuser Denied Parole, Must Serve Remainder of Sentence

The South Carolina man who plead guilty to animal cruelty in the 2015 abuse of Caitlyn the dog, was denied parole and ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence.

In March, 43-year old William Leonard Dodson, who plead guilty to animal cruelty in the 2015 abuse of Caitlyn, was handed down the maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. This morning, Dodson was denied parole and ordered to continue serving the remainder of his sentence.

Although he was sentenced to 5 years last March, Dodson was credited for time served following his arrest. In an upset to animal advocates and Caitlyn’s caregivers, a separate 15-year federal prison sentence for unrelated drug and weapons charges handed down one day prior, was not extended by the 5-year animal abuse sentence when prosecutors negotiated terms that allowed him to serve both sentences simultaneously.

With just 6-months remaining in state prison before Dodson is to be handed over to federal custody, he faced a seven-member parole board who unanimously denied parole for the convicted animal abuser.

Dodson must serve the remaining 6-months in state prison before being transferred to federal prison where he’ll serve the remainder of his 15-year sentence.

Although her physical wounds have healed, Caitlyn continues to suffer lasting psychological effects due to the torture she endured at the hands of her abuser, including trust issues around certain men. She is currently living with a permanent foster family that includes children and a canine pal named Oreo. The Charleston Animal Society will continue to pay for her medical care for life. The rescue posts updates about Caitlyn frequently to their Facebook page.

Through her ordeal, Caitlyn became an icon in the animal rights community and a face for a growing anti-cruelty movement. As a result of the worldwide attention she received, the Charleston Animal Society created The Caitlyn Anti-Cruelty Fund to provide medical attention and outreach, assist in investigations, provide training to animal control and police officers, and to provide rewards for information leading to the capture of people that commit horrific acts of cruelty to other animals, like Caitlyn.