Woman charged with abandoning dog with 42-pound tumor

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.  — A Southern California woman who allegedly abandoned a dog with a 42-pound cancerous tumor has been charged with life-threatening animal abuse and neglect.

Sherri Haughton of Newport Coast was charged Wednesday with four misdemeanors that carry a potential two-year jail sentence.

A call to a woman of that name wasn’t answered Wednesday night.

Orange County prosecutors say Haughton dropped off her 7-year-old golden retriever, Henry, at an animal hospital in May and claimed she’d found him on a beach.

Before it was removed, Henry’s stomach tumor had nearly doubled his body weight. He’s now living with a foster family and receiving cancer treatment.

Officials say owners who can’t afford to treat their pets can turn them over to animal control or welfare agencies, which can foot the bill. TVJ