Cape couple says they never spoke to man accused of poisoning their dog

When a Cape Girardeau couple received an unsigned note in their mailbox telling them to keep their dog quiet, they were puzzled but didn't know who'd sent it, they said Thursday.

Bryan and Mindy Hodges, who had two dogs, Lola and Maggie, asked several neighbors about the note but didn't suspect it came from a man who lived several houses away and with whom they'd never spoken.

On Monday, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle charged Ralph H. Ziegler, 58, with one count of animal abuse for allegedly poisoning Lola with antifreeze.

On Nov. 8, Bryan Hodges found the plate of barbecued ribs covered with a sticky green substance in the fenced-in backyard. But his discovery came nearly 10 hours after Lola had been poisoned.

They'd noticed the dog was having trouble walking but thought it was due to her chronic hip ailments.

Submitted photoLola, a dog belonging to the Hodges family, was allegedly poisoned by neighbor Ralph Ziegler in November in Cape Girardeau.

When they found the antifreeze on the plate, they rushed Lola to the vet and spent more than $800 trying to save the life of the German shepherd mix, but the antifreeze had damaged the dog's kidneys to the point she had to be euthanized, Mindy Hodges said.

"She was one of our family members," she said.

The Hodges had had Lola for 10 years.

Ziegler, who was charged with the crime after Cape Girardeau nuisance abatement officer Ty Metzger found that another neighbor of the Hodges had received a similar note, this one signed by Ziegler.

Al Lowes, attorney for Ziegler, said his client has expressed remorse about his actions.

Ziegler had been taking medication that made him "short-tempered," Lowes said.

"I feel for him, and I feel for the dog, and I feel for the people that lost the dog," Lowes said.

Ziegler also told Metzger in a police interview he regretted what he'd done, according to a probable-cause statement.

"It's good that he's remorseful, but it doesn't bring the dog back and it doesn't help me explain to my kids why someone would hurt their dog," Mindy Hodges said.

Mindy Hodges said her 6-year-old and 2-year-old sons play in the backyard and the idea that they could have just as easily been poisoned is a chilling one.

The family generally kept its two dogs inside, except for bathroom breaks, and never left them outside at night, they said.

Ziegler could face up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000 or both, if convicted.

"I don't think the man needs to spend a year in jail," Mindy Hodges said.

She said she would like to see Ziegler perform community service, perhaps at the Humane Society.

Swingle said he intends to get the case through the courts as quickly as possible.

A first court appearance in the case was scheduled for Jan. 7.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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