Collier County man faces two felonies for animal cruelty

One dog is dead, and another requires surgery to remove both of its eyes after getting neglected by its owner.

The dogs were dropped off at the Humane Society in Naples by their owner Nickey Cothran and was arrested by Collier County deputies for animal cruelty.

According to the booking report, he told deputies he knew they were in bad shape, he felt bad, and their care got away from him. Luckily one of the dogs is doing much better.

Percy, a cocker spaniel, is recovering at the Humane Society in Naples.

CCSO said Percy was dropped off at the Naples shelter with another cocker spaniel named Henry on March 5. Their owner, Nickey Cothran, 59, neglected both of the dogs.

Henry was in such bad shape he died mere minutes after arriving at the shelter.

“Hopefully, they’re in doggy heaven now,” Andrea Giordano, a Naples resident, said.

“I could just have tears right now thinking about it. It’s very heartbreaking,” Brenda Trezciak, a Naples resident, said.

Both pooches came to the Humane Society in Naples with lengthy medical and grooming issues.

Henry and Percy had severe flea infestations and severe matting of their coats. The report said it took two hours to remove two pounds of hair from Percy, which comprised 6% of his body weight. He will also require surgical removal of both eyes.

Henry had a hole in his stomach wall and died.

“They’re living things. And they have feeling they feel pain as well,” Marcia Carter, a visitor from Illinois, said.

The CEO of Humane Society Naples said in a statement, “It’s always hard to bear witness to neglect and suffering, but Humane Society Naples is grateful for the privilege of creating a happy ending for Percy.”

Dog owners that WINK News spoke with on Wednesday hope people can help by calling out abuse when they see it.

“You hear these animals you see these animals when they’re being contained and or they’re being abused, you can’t pretend you don’t hear or see something,” Carter said.

Percy is taking the long walk to recovery while in the care of a loving foster family.

Cothran on the other hand faces two felony counts of cruelty to animals and will be in court on May 1.