A Canton man has been sentenced to two years in prison and three years on probation after a Cherokee County jury convicted him in his dog’s death in 2017, District Attorney Shannon Wallace announced.
Dec. 10, a jury found Randall Keith Lathem, 55, guilty of one count of aggravated cruelty to animals. On Jan. 24, Senior Judge Frank C. Mills III sentenced Lathem to five years, with the first two years to serve in confinement and the balance on probation.
In late 2017, Cherokee Sheriff’s Office deputies accompanied Lathem’s brother to a home where Lathem had been living, which belonged to a family member. Authorities went to the home to execute a writ of possession — the family member was seeking to sell the home — and found a small black and brown dog dead.
The dog was found surrounded by “multiple piles of feces,” the district attorney’s office said, and had been trapped in an empty house without food or water. Lathem had moved out of the home without telling anyone, leaving his 2-year-old female dog in the home.
A necropsy at a University of Georgia laboratory determined she likely died of starvation due to her body condition and lack of subcutaneous and visceral fat stores.
During the one-day jury trial, Assistant District Attorney Rachel Clark, who prosecuted the case, presented evidence that the deceased dog was Lathem’s pet and sole responsibility.
“This defendant blamed everyone but himself for his actions. Initially, he blamed his brother. Later, he claimed he gave the dog to someone he met in a grocery store,” Clark said. “The fact is he refuses to accept responsibility and simply makes excuses for putting his own pet in a situation where she suffered untold pain until she died, alone and uncared for.”
Lathem’s probation conditions include no possession of firearms, alcohol, or illegal substances. He must also complete an evaluation for emotional, mental health and substance abuse and seek treatment. He must avoid contact with his brother, may not possess a pet of any type, and must pay restitution and attorney fees.
“This defendant has never admitted his guilt, so we have no way to determine how long this little dog suffered before she died, hungry, thirsty, and probably very scared,” District Attorney Shannon Wallace said. “Pets are not objects to be left behind and forgotten. They rely on human companions to care for them and provide the basic necessities of life.”
This case was investigated by the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office and Marshal’s Office.