Submitted photo This dog, Baby, received emergency treatment at a Salem facility after being rescued from neglect in Warren. Animal Control Officer Jason Cooke found her emaciated, hypothermic and suffering from a ruptured mass. Her injuries were so severe she was later euthanized.

WARREN — A 43-year-old Warren man faces charges of first-degree misdemeanor animal cruelty after authorities discovered a severely neglected dog over the weekend that later died from its injuries.

Thomas R. Leimkuehler, 1583 Oak Knoll Ave. SE, was charged Monday in Warren Municipal Court. He appeared before Judge Patricia Knepp.

According to a Warren police report, officers were dispatched around 3:20 p.m. Saturday for a standby to assist a resident retrieving belongings. While on scene, they were alerted to a dog being mistreated inside the home.

Police found the dog, a female later named “Baby” by rescuers, in dire condition. The dog was chained to a basement handrail, lying at the bottom of bloodied steps, emaciated, dehydrated and barely alive. A large, ruptured mass on her abdomen was oozing infection, and the area was littered with feces, urine, and no food or water. The stench of decay and infection filled the air, police noted.

Jason Cooke, CEO and president of the Healthy Hearts and Paws Project, a local animal welfare organization, was called to the scene.

“This is probably the worst animal cruelty case I’ve ever been a part of,” Cooke said. “The dog was nearly lifeless, with a body condition score of one, the lowest possible. She was hypothermic, jaundiced and had no hydration in her body.”

Cooke rushed the dog to a veterinarian center in Salem, where tests revealed a body temperature of 93 degrees Fahrenheit and a calcified mass, indicating prolonged neglect. After consultation, veterinarians determined the dog could not recover and she was euthanized.

The police report states the man told police the dog’s mass had ruptured within the last one to two weeks and claimed a veterinarian had deemed it “fine.” He attributed the dog’s weight loss to kidney failure but later admitted to officers that no recent veterinary care had been sought.

Cooke disputed the timeline, noting the calcified mass suggested the injury had persisted for much longer.

Cooke criticized Ohio’s animal cruelty laws as too lenient, calling for stricter penalties at the state level.

“This case is a catalyst for change,” he said. “A maximum 180-day sentence isn’t enough. If convicted, I’d like to see significant jail time, probation and a ban on owning animals.”

The Healthy Hearts and Paws Project is grappling with an influx of dogs, with Cooke reporting 91 dogs at the shelter.

“We’re over capacity, and summer will bring more cases,” he said, noting the shelter offers a pet food pantry, vaccination resources and occasional surgical assistance to help pet owners in need. Despite a recent adoption event, the shelter struggles to keep up with demand.

Cooke said the case has taken a toll on him and his volunteers.

“I haven’t slept in two days,” he said. “Baby didn’t die alone, but she suffered immensely. I apologized to her 50 times at the vet.”