A mail carrier in Alabama allegedly fed at least one dog meatballs stuffed with nails, authorities said.
US Postal Service worker Susana Burhans, 48, was arrested on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals after investigators learned she fed the nail-packed meatballs to a dog in New Hope, officials said. She was released from the Madison County Jail on Thursday after posting $2,500 bail, AL.com reports.
The investigation started with a complaint nearly two weeks ago, but at least one other complaint has been filed and there might be additional victims, according to Capt. Mike Salomonsky of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
“We gathered intelligence from the Postal Service and put everything together,” Salomonsky told AL.com. “Right now, we know for sure there’s one dog. But there’s another neighbor that had a complaint, so there might be two or more.”
Burhans, a USPS employee of more than 21 years, is currently on non-duty status, according to USPS spokeswoman Jeldrys Lowry.
“This type of alleged behavior within the Postal Service is not tolerated and the overwhelming majority of Postal Service employees, which serve the public, are honest, hardworking, and trustworthy individuals who would never consider engaging in any type of criminal behavior,” Lowry said in a statement to The Post.
It’s unclear whether Burhans has hired an attorney and her next scheduled date in court has not yet been released. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Ed Glover, of New Hope, told WHNT he recently found one of the nail-studded meatballs on the ground near his mailbox outside his home. He became worried about his dog, Missy, and took her to a veterinarian. An X-ray of the dog’s stomach revealed nails inside the animal, he said.