Katharine Lemansky faces charges over muzzled dog photo, city says

CARY, N.C. — Authorities in Cary say a woman who posted a picture of her chocolate lab-mix with its mouth taped shut on her social media page and sparked public outrage is charged with animal cruelty.

A statement from the city on Monday says 45-year-old Katharine F. Lemansky was charged after admitting the incident took place in Cary.

The Facebook page where the picture appeared last Friday lists the woman’s name as Katie Brown and carries a South Daytona, Florida, address. A Cary spokesman said family members indicated Lemansky hadn’t lived there in more than a year.

Cary Police Capt. Randall Rhyne said there were no signs of injury to the dog’s muzzle, and no detectable hair loss.

Lemansky is facing a fine and a possible jail sentence of up to 150 days.

Police say Lemansky has ties to Connecticut, where police in Avon investigated an address associated with her family after receiving numerous calls about the photo.