Michigan Vet Found Guilty of Stealing Dog from Homeless Man

Have you ever seen a dog that you thought might have run away from its owner or was abandoned?

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I have, and my gut reaction was to take the dog home and take care of it while trying to find it's owner.

A Michigan veterinarian had a similar situation last year.

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Dr. Amanda Hergenreder owns a veterinary practice near Frankenmuth, was in Grand Rapids last November for a conference when she noticed a Pitbull tied to a U-Haul truck next to a Biggby Coffee shop near Eastern Avenue and 28th Street.

She spoke with several Biggby employees who informed her that the dog named Vinny was not abandoned.

He actually belonged to a homeless man named Chris Hamilton.

Hamilton had tied up Vinny and walked to a gas station about a mile down the road.

When he returned he saw that Vinny was gone so he contacted police on what he could do to find him.

Dr. Hergenreder called Grand Rapids Police looking for advice on what she should do.

Several weeks later, a detective called her, demanding that she return Vinny to Hamilton, his rightful owner, but she refused.

Hergenreder, who changed Vinny's name to Bigby, claims that the dog needed medical attention totaling around $3,000, and that he had made huge improvements

Sadly the senior dog who was 16 years old passed away 8 months later and Hamilton never got to see his dog again.

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Late Friday afternoon, Hergenreder was found guilty of misdemeanor larceny in the 61st District Court in downtown Grand Rapids.

The next time she appears in court she will be sentenced for misdemeanor larceny.

She's facing up to 93 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.