Crime & Safety

Joliet Woman Leaves Pit Bull & 4 Pups to Swelter in Truck: Police

The mother pit bull was tied to the truck's steering wheel and covered with feces, police said.

A Joliet woman was charged with aggravated animal cruelty for leaving a pit bull and four puppies to swelter in a truck.

Jolene Sander, 31, of 324 S. Water St. was arrested about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday outside a house on Pine Street.

Police were sent to the residence to investigate a disturbance. After everyone settled down, Sander reportedly began preparing to leave the home. As she was getting ready to go, police said, someone asked what she was going to do with her dogs.

The officers went to check on the dogs, which were in a truck parked outside, police said. They then found the four puppies along with the adult pit bull tied to the steering wheel, police said.

Sores had broken out on the adult dog's neck beneath the rope and its fur was covered with feces, police said.

While the outside temperature was 75 degrees, it was more than 100 degrees inside the truck, police said.

The dogs were taken to Joliet Township Animal Control. They will likely be put up for for adoption, either through animal control or a rescue group. Animal control invited those interested in adopting to call the agency at 815-725-0333 in the next two or three weeks.

Sander was released on her own recognizance.

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