Ft. Collins, CO: Woman accused of killing dog faces felony charge

BY MARCY MIRANDA • MARCYMIRANDA@COLORADOAN.COM • JULY 22, 2010

A Fort Collins woman faces a felony charge and is accused of slitting the throat and killing her boyfriend's dog after the Australian Shepard/Labrador mix killed her poodle.



According to an arrest affidavit sworn out by Fort Collins Police, Nicole Anderson, 31, allegedly slit the dog's throat on June 21 after first calling her ex-husband and sister and asking if either one had a gun.

Co-workers of Anderson's told police that Anderson "appeared to be emotionally disturbed by the events" the day after they occurred and that she kept repeating to her co-workers "the blood, the blood" and "it didn't go well" while at work the morning after, according to the affidavit.

She also told one co-worker that "once we got to the trachea, it was easy after that," according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Anderson's ex-husband came over to her home and first attempted to choke the dog, then break its neck.He held the dog while she slit her throat, the affidavit reads.

Her co-workers contacted the Larimer Humane Society, who sent officials to Anderson's home and found two deceased dogs in the dumpsters outside her home. The dogs were wrapped in plastic bags alongside blood-soaked paper towels and other cleaning items, according to the affidavit.

Anderson spoke to a neighbor about putting the large dog down after her dog was killed and she took the time to contact multiple people about putting the dog down,according to the affidavit.

"There was no record of Nicole Anderson calling Animal Control, Police or otherwise needing emergency assistance," according to the affidavit.

A spokesman with Poudre Valley Health Systems said Anderson is no longer employeed by PVHS. Her MySpace page says she is a registered nurse.

She was arrested July 12 and is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals.The Larimer County District Attorney's Office has charged Anderson with aggravated cruelty to animals, a Class 6 felony. She'll make her first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. Friday for a bond hearing.

Anderson declined to comment when contacted by a reporter.

Marcie Willms, community relations manager with the Larimer Humane Society, advices people to call the society if they are in a similar situation. The society has an animal protection and control officer on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will pick up animals and euthanize them at the owner's request.