When Saving a Dog Becomes Stealing One: Bless Your Headlines Weighs In

A Strange Crime in Michigan

Well, folks, if you ever needed proof that America’s priorities are a little out of whack, allow me to present Exhibit A: a Michigan veterinarian convicted of theft for refusing to return a dog to a homeless man. Yes, you read that right. Forget grand larceny, forget Wall Street fraudsters—this woman’s crime was saving an old pit bull mix from a urinary tract infection and a rotten tooth. Bless your headlines, indeed.

Meet Biggby the Dog

Amanda Hergenreder, a veterinarian with a bleeding heart and an endless supply of coffee, found the poor animal tied to a truck. Sixteen years old, sick, and barely able to move, the dog looked more abandoned shopping cart than spry pet. Amanda drove him two hours to her clinic, gave him care, and even named him Biggby after a coffee shop.

And for this, she ended up in court.

A Courtroom Twist

The state called it larceny. Stealing. The same category as snatching someone’s wallet—except this wallet barked. Amanda told jurors she’d do it all again “in a heartbeat.” The jury convicted her anyway.

Meanwhile, the dog’s owner, Chris Hamilton, was homeless. He tied Vinny (his real name) to a U-Haul while ducking into a gas station. When he came back, Vinny was gone. Hamilton later said he never felt the same after losing him.

Two People, One Dog, and a Broken System

Both Amanda and Chris loved the dog. She thought she was saving him. He thought he already was. And the dog? He probably just wanted kibble and a warm blanket.

By trial’s end, the saddest part emerged: Vinny, a.k.a. Biggby, had already been euthanized in July due to age-related health issues. Sixteen years is a long run for a pit bull mix. He didn’t live to see the verdict.

What Is Right vs. What Is Legal

Amanda’s lawyer summed it up: “What is right and what is legal are not always the same thing.” And that’s the moral tension here. A vet who kept a dog alive a little longer walks away with a criminal record, while far greater wrongs go unchecked.

Lessons in Compassion and Law

So what’s the takeaway? If you see a sick old dog chained up, the law says don’t touch. Compassion may be admirable, but apparently it’s criminal, too. For homeless owners with pets, society judges faster than it helps.

As for Vinny/Biggby? He probably didn’t care about charges or verdicts. For a time, he was loved, fed, and treated. And maybe that’s worth more than any legal ruling.

Bless your headlines, Michigan. You’ve turned the story of an old dog into a morality play about ownership, compassion, and the thin line between doing good and doing time.