UPDATE: Virginia Man Convicted of Animal Cruelty After Dog Dies From Cancer

Buxton was a beloved member of the Evans’ family for ten years. He was happy, loved, and treasured as any family member would be. And, when he was diagnosed with terminal cancer last summer, the family was devastated.

It all started a year ago when they noticed a lump on Buxton’s paw. Two different veterinarians, several hundred dollars in medical care, and one toe amputation later, the Evans’ learned that their beloved Buxton was suffering from an aggressive, terminal cancer that would soon take his life.

For the next few months, Buxton seemed fine. He didn’t appear to be in any pain. He was happy. But, in July, the family witnessed their furriest family member have a seizure.

They knew his time had come. Travis Evans loaded Buxton into the car and took him to the local shelter to be euthanized.

“I was crying when I was unloading him from the vehicle, and he basically started asking me question after question,” Travis recalled to Fox 5. “Eventually I dried up my tears and I finally asked him, ‘What is the problem? Why are you asking me all these questions?’ He said I can charge you for animal cruelty because you did not take this dog to a veterinarian four days ago when you said it had one seizure.”

In fact, that’s exactly what the animal control officer did. Just days later, the same officer that witnessed Evans’ tears arrived at his door with a warrant for his arrest.

A judge convicted Evans of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

“They claim that I stood there and watched the dog while it had multiple seizures and did nothing about it until I decided to have him put down, which is completely false. He had one. We knew he was terminally ill with cancer.”

Evans, of course, filed an appeal and is scheduled for trial in February.

UPDATE: The conviction against Travis Evans has been dismissed!