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Cache County prosecutors have charged a former Smithfield animal control officer with cruelty to an animal and tampering with evidence in connection with the June death of an impounded dog from heat exposure.
1st District Court documents obtained Thursday show that Brady Robbins, 24, of Logan, was charged with one class C misdemeanor count of cruelty to an animal, through reckless or negligent action, and one class A misdemeanor count of tampering with evidence.
Smithfield police said that Robbins stated he had taken Lola, a 4-year-old golden Labrador retriever, to the Cache County Humane Society. Actually, he had forgotten having put the dog in an unshaded temporary holding kennel in west Smithfield on June 23, a Thursday, until he returned to find the animal dead on Monday, June 27.
Robbins eventually acknowledged to investigators that he panicked and tried to cover up the incident by supplementing his initial report with the claim that the dog had been taken to the county animal shelter. Meanwhile, Lola's remains had been disposed of in a section of the Logan landfill set aside for animal carcasses.
Robbins' story fell apart when witnesses told his superiors they had seen him find the dead dog in the kennel. Robbins resigned shortly thereafter.
Smithfield police turned over results of their investigation to the Cache County Attorney's Office and the charges were filed against Robbins on Aug. 10. First District Judge Kevin Allen subsequently ordered Robbins to appear for booking into the Cache County Jail on the first Monday following service of the court's summons.
Efforts Thursday to reach Robbins, whose telephone is not listed, were unsuccessful. However, The Herald Journal reported the summons had not yet been served.