23-year-old William Cane Byrd of Rozelle Place in Lenoir was arrested last Saturday (April 15) by Lenoir Police Officers. He’s charged with felony counts of breaking & entering, larceny of a dog, possession of stolen property, and possession of burglary tools. WHKY previously reported on Byrd’s arrest, more details on the case were released Thursday (April 20).

On Saturday, April 15, Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement (ACE) received a call about a dog muzzled and tied to a tree. After multiple attempts to find the owner, an ACE officer took the dog to the Caldwell County Animal Care Enforcement Facility. Late Saturday night, the dog owner, William Cane Byrd, allegedly broke into the Animal Care Enforcement Facility and took possession of his dog.

Following a Lenoir Police Department investigation, Byrd was charged with the felony offenses. He received a $10,000 secured bond and the dog has been returned to his care. ACE officers learned that Byrd was not the person who left the dog muzzled and tethered to a tree. He has a District Court date scheduled for May 10 in Lenoir.

To help prevent pets from being lost, owners should take the following precautions:

Spay or neuter pets as soon as possible. Both male and female pets that are not spayed or neutered are much more likely to go looking for companionship and get lost as well as produce unwanted litters. Make sure pets have a collar with a rabies vaccination tag and ID tag. Cats can wear stretch collars with flat tags that are riveted directly to the collar.

Have pets microchipped. Microchips are a great way to help find lost pets. All animals that enter the Caldwell County Animal Shelter are checked for microchips. Keep pets in a fenced yard or on a leash when they are outside. Do not let pets roam free.

Keep all pets indoors during severe thunderstorms, other severe weather situations, and on the Fourth of July. Many pets escape from their yard or run away because of their fear of fireworks or thunderstorms.

For more information about finding lost pets, please contact the Animal Care Enforcement at 180 Government Way, Lenoir, NC 28645 or call 828-572-4535.