Shamong Woman Charged with Animal Cruelty, Unlicensed Practice of Medicine

A Shamong woman, who reportedly, with no veterinarian degree, treated a sick puppy, may not have had much of an example on how to care for animals, based on who her mom is.

Remember Donna Roberts? Back in 2018, she was the South Jersey dog breeder found with the corpses of 44 dead dogs in her freezer. Well, now her daughter, Dawn Abrams, 46, is facing her own charges of animal cruelty, reports Patch.com.

Last month, she reportedly sold a Westie/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel-mix puppy to a customer outside of a pet store in Lumberton, claiming to be part of an animal rescue organization she had no affiliation with anymore.

That puppy turned up ill a short time later, and when the customer reached out to Abrams, she illegally gave the owner medication and instructions for treating the sick dog she said was on behalf of a local veterinarian, according to Burlington County Prosecutor's Office. It was not.

Suspicious, the puppy owner alerted police on October 26th, and after an investigation, Abrams was arrested last week, accused of third-degree impersonation, third-degree unlicensed practice of medicine, and fourth-degree unlawful distribution of prescription drug.

Scamming at the expense of defenseless animals seems to run in the family. Abrams' mom Donna Roberts was criminally indicted in 2019 in connection with the deaths of nearly two dozen dogs at her Shamong home in a discovery that shocked the community. It doesn't appear Abrams learned any lessons from that family scandal. I applaud authorities for taken the sick puppy owner's concerns seriously enough to make an arrest.

SOURCES: Burlington County Prosecutor's Office/Facebook; Patch.com via Gloucester Twp. Patch/Facebook

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